Homophobic attack victim helps launch anti-hate crime campaign

Debbie Baird, 32, was once punched and her friend headbutted in an unprovoked hate crime by a teenager in the Capital.

But the incident was far from a one-off, and Ms Baird, from Abbeyhill, said she was frequently abused in public.

The claim comes after the Evening News revealed on Saturday how a gay couple had been hounded out of their Edinburgh home after facing constant homophobic abuse from a neighbour.

Ms Baird said: "It makes me feel disappointed in this city. Considering Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, it's not at all open-minded."

Ms Baird said there are many pubs and clubs across the city that are no-go areas for homosexuals, including ones in George Street and Lothian Road.

She said: "Between my friends and I, something happens every week. We try to make light of it, but it's not funny at all.

"I remember once, a friend and I were walking down the Shore when two guys who were working on a house shouted abuse at us before running off."

Speaking openly about her experiences in Edinburgh, Ms Baird is hoping to raise awareness of a new campaign by the city council, fighting against hate crimes.

Launched today, it includes posters on public transport bearing the slogan: "Some people are gay. Get over it!"

The campaign urges the victims of hate crimes to come forward and report them, no matter how minor they may seem.

In 2005 Ms Baird and three friends were walking towards Easter Road at about 3am after a night out in the city when an 18-year-old man began shouting homophobic insults at her.

She said: "I was the only homosexual in the group, but when the guy came over to me my friend stepped between us. He grabbed my friend by the hair and head-butted her twice. There were fists and punches all over the place, and I was caught on the head in the cross-fire."

Police officers arrived quickly at the scene and the man was arrested and charged, eventually being sentenced to a fine and community service in a court case nearly two years later.

Ms Baird said: "It was awful – simple as that. My friend was pretty shaken up for a while afterwards.

"Every one of my gay friends has experienced some sort of abuse in Edinburgh.

"Hopefully this campaign will raise awareness of hate crime and that it will be taken seriously if reported."

In a recent survey, two-thirds of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community in Edinburgh revealed they had been victims of verbal assault.

Over a third of them had also been physically assaulted.

Carl Watt, director of the campaign group Stonewall Scotland, said: "This shows that in Edinburgh alone, too many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have been physically or verbally attacked out of hatred, because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

"We welcome this campaign, because it shows that hate crime will never be tolerated, and that people who have experienced homophobic and transphobic hate crime can report it confidently, knowing they will be taken seriously."