Spectrum

What Is It?
SPECTRUM promotes trust between Devon & Cornwall Constabulary, local statutory and voluntary authorities and the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered (LGBT) community who live and/or work in the Torbay, Teignbride and South Hams area. Meetings are held to discuss quality of life issues, promote and encourage a greater reporting and recording of homophobic incidents (with a view to reducing the actual level of homophobic crime), and to raise awareness of homophobia amongst both statutory and voluntary agencies.

Who Is Involved?
Police Diversity Officers work closely with groups such as Intercom and the Eddystone Trust to build a close working relationship between the Police and LGBT Communties. SPECTRUM also has representatives from both statutory and voluntary agencies who can implement recommendations discussed by the team. Torbay, Teignbridge and South Hams Councils and Safer Communities Co-ordinators are also involved in developing community information and other strategies to combat homophobic prejudice and raise awareness of existing resources.

If you would like to get involved then please contact the Safer Communities Office for Torbay on 01803 841274 or e-mail scatt@torbay.gov.uk.

How Can SPECTRUM Help Me?
By achieving a greater trust between the Police and LGBT communities, people who suffer homophobic abuse, threats, and so forth, should be more willing to come forward to report those incidents. SPECTRUM will discuss innovative approaches to assist in raising the level of reporting such as third-party reporting, self-reporting forms at gay venues, etc. The team will look at ways of approaching and assisting various agencies to have in place recording procedures. A priority should be within schools and amongst organisations and groups providing facilities for young people out of school time - i.e. youth centres and cadets.

Reporting crimes/incidents in confidence...
Dial 999 or 112 if it is an emergency and you require immediate assistance.
Dial 08452 777444 to report non-emergency crimes/incidents.
If you think the crime/incident was of a homophobic nature then please mention this when making the report.
We are in the process of introducing an on-line reporting facility whereby incidents can be reported by filling in a form placed on this web site. Again any such information will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.
Survey To Look At Homophobic Hate Crime In South & West Devon

A survey was launched by SPECTRUM to find out the experiences and views of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual people in relation to hate crime and other discrimination in South and West Devon.

The main aims of the survey were:

	To increase input by those isolated lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual communities who are out of contact with existing links. To inform local organisations/authorities/agencies of the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual communities
	To use the results to assist in the future work of Spectrum
	To gain a holistic view of current access/use of existing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual support services.
	It is important to receive reports of hate crime from the lesbian and gay communities and to find out why people choose not to report. The results of this survey are being used to direct the work of SPECTRUM in the future and to show that we are working with other agencies to address their concerns.
	It is well known that violence against the gay community often goes unreported due to fear that people will find out about their sexual orientation. Many people are afraid to be open about their sexuality for fear of reparation and we must work together to change this as people need to feel safe in their community.

Hate crime is intolerable and anything we can do to understand some of the community that may be on the receiving end has to be a way forward. We need to know what the lesbian and gay communities concerns are about reporting to the Police or local authorities and what their experience of our local area is to ensure that we can work together to combat it.

The survey was been prepared by Teignbridge Council on behalf of the Spectrum Group.

Useful Contact Details

Emergency Services - 999 or 112
Police Non-Emergency Switchboard - 08452 777444
Police Diversity Officer - 01803 841141
Safer Communities Torbay - 01803 841274 / scatt@torbay.gov.uk
Crimestoppers - 0800 555 111
Victim Support South & West Devon – 0845 676 10 20
Eddystone Trust - 01803 380692
Intercom Trust - 01392 201018
The Laurels – 01626 357335
Homophobic Bullying Helpline – 01392 201018