Anti-LGBTQ incidents in Israel increased by 27% in 2020, a report published Monday by The Aguda, the country's LGBTQ task force, revealed. According to the annual report, the organization recorded 2,696 complaints last year.
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Some 25% of these incidents occurred close to the complainant's home, compared to 8% in 2019. Some 28% of such incidents happened within the family; 315 young men and women were forced to flee their homes due to constant harassment and abuse, a 16% uptick from 2019.
The transition to remote schooling was not smooth for the LGBTQ community either. Seven percent of complainants were students who reported abuse and mockery in school, both online and in class, compared to 5% in 2019.
Some 4% of the incidents occurred at the workplace, compared to 3% in 2019.
"My coworkers turned me into a joke, constantly making fun of my sexual orientation behind my back. It includes insults, mimicry, and explicit mentions of my sexuality in front of coworkers and customers," one complainant wrote.
"Hatred of the LGBTQ community has reached new heights this year, as it is gaining legitimacy from the country's top officials," CEO of The Aguda Ohad Hizki said. "Such hatred destroys and harms the body and soul of these young men and women who are merely seeking to live true to who they are.
"While the Israeli government has abandoned the proud community by not granting us fundamental rights and ensuring our safety, hatred is rampant, and elected officials across the entire political spectrum must put an end to it soon.
"As a strong community, we will continue to fight LGBTQ phobia until it is completely eradicated," the CEO said.
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