European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 14, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Growing violence against Gays by William  new York times tracks on homosexuals appear to have increased dramatically across the nation in the past three years As homosexuals have become Mars vocal in their Pursuit of civil rights and More visible because of publicity surrounding the spread of aids. Law enforcement agencies do not record crimes against homosexuals As a specific category. In several cities however homosexuals have termed organizations in the last Lew years to document what they say is a growing problem of violence against them to lobby for More Protection and to counsel victims. Al a congressional hearing in october on violence against homosexuals these groups presented surveys they had conducted at the local stale and National Levels thai seemed to document a Rise in such violence and suggest some of the underlying causes. The hearings were sponsored by the House judiciary subcommittee on criminal Justice. It seems Clear from the testimony said Julian Epstein a spokesman for rep. John Conyers jr., d mich., who is chairman of the subcommittee that there have been dramatic increases in violence directed against Gay men and lesbians and the violence seems to be connected with the aids problem and a Genera hostility directed against the Gay and lesbian  David m. Wertheimer executive director of the new York City Gay and lesbian anti violence project which was formed in i960 Aller a series of gang attacks on homosexuals in Manhattan s Chelsea Section testified Hal the project had counted 351 incidents from homicides to verbal attacks aimed at homosexuals in the first nine months of 19b6. That is Moru than double the 167 incidents counted in the same period last year. So Lai this year the new York group has counted 17 homicides where the victim appeared to have been selected because he was a homosexual according to Werl Himor. The homosexual rights groups say that homosexuals have always been victims of violence but that it has increased that the attacks have become More brutal and that the assailants have increasingly made specific reference to acquired immune deficiency syndrome which cripples the body s immune system. In the United states most aids victims have been male homosexuals or intravenous drug users and their sexual partners aids which leaves the body susceptible to serious infections and cancers is caused by a virus that spreads through sexual Intercourse or exchanges of blood. Weilheimer said that in 28 percent of All of the new York incidents reported in 1985, assailants taunted their victims with comments about aids. He estimated that the percentage of such cases was roughly the same this year. We re in the Middle of an epidemic of violence against Gay men and lesbians Weilheimer said. A san Francisco group. Community United against violence said at the hearing that through september 150 homosexuals reported being physically assaulted by attackers who shouted insults related to homosexuality a 23 percent increase Over the 116 such assaults in the same period last year. The surveys conducted by homosexual rights groups that were presented at the hearing indicate that homosexuals Are More often the victims of violent crimes than the general Public. Surveys in cities from Richmond to Minneapolis to Des Moines and in Atalas from Maine 1o Alaska found that 15 to 20 percent of homosexuals interviewed said they had been beaten in incidents related to their sexual orientation. A Survey of 2.074 homosexuals in eight cities by the National Gay and lesbian task Force found thai 1 in 5 homosexual men and 1 in 10 homosexual women reported having been physically assaulted in their lifetimes because of their homosexuality. Although some of these victims said they were perceived to be homosexuals because they were walking  in  with a partner or leaving a bar frequented by homosexuals others could not explain Why they were thought to be homosexual. The Survey also Lound that some heterosexuals including a married couple walking together in new York had been a my phobia despite a cease and desist order Itom a . Attorney organizers off Chicago Campaign to Demon rate Gay economic Power by stamping Dollar Butla in red with May a of of War wont quit. Page 18 the stars and stripes attacked by assailants shouting epithets about homosexuality. As Matthew Holloway a homosexual who works Lor a major financial institution in san Francisco wailed for his Roommate outside a supermarket last december a teen age Man and woman began to shout at him. " we should kill you first because you re Gonna give us aids " Holloway said they shouted. He said that a few minutes later he and his Roommate were attacked by the couple and a dozen other Young people As they drove out of the supermarket parking lot. His Roommate. David Johnson was dragged from the car and beaten with chains and skateboards. He suffered three broken ribs a broken jaw and bruises. Holloway fought 1o stay in the car and was unharmed. The All Ackers fled before the police arrived no suspects were arrested. Because the police do not systematically collect statistics on crime against homosexuals specifically As the police and the homosexual rights groups acknowledge a Rise in such violence cannot be officially documented. Moreover such incidents Are often not reported some surveys say 90 percent go unreported and the Way the police classify crimes resulting from Bias differs from the Way the groups classify them. Epstein the spokesman for Conyers said that As a result of the hearing the congressman planned to ask the Justice department to compile statistics on such crimes. He said Conyers would also seek to Amend the civil rights provisions of the Federal criminal code to include Protection Lor homosexuals Tike those provisions outlawing discrimination against Blacks and other minority groups. Such a change Epstein said would allow the Fri . Attorneys and other Federal agencies to intervene in cases As investigators and prosecutors. The response on the part of local Law enforcement has not been adequate Epstein said. Most other groups that have been particularly targeted for violence because of who they Are and what they believe enjoy Federal Protection. Gays and lesbians Don  the new York City and Washington police sunday december 14.1886 departments have assigned special units to investigate crimes against homosexuals in the Way they investigate crimes against Blacks or jews. The Boston police department is considering similar measures. Robert m. Morgenthau Iho Manhattan District attorney. Has appointed a prosecutor and a Liaison to homosexual groups to handle cases of violence. Since last july when the Bias unit of the new York City police department expanded its responsibility for crimes resulting from ethnic or religious Bias to include Bias based on sexual orientation it has classified Only 13 cases As such according to its commanding officer capt. Donald j. Bromberg. Bromberg said some of the incidents reported to the homosexual rights groups would not be classified by the police As crimes resulting from Bias. Our statistics do not show any Type of increase for the most pan he said. We also Are aware thai there Are Many cases out there that Aren t reported to the  in new York a homosexual Man said in in interview that he walked around the Corner from his Brooklyn apartment at a . One saturday last summer and three Young men grabbed him the Man who works in the mayor s office asked thai his name not be used to protect his privacy. A his assailants shoved him Back and Forth he said punching him in the Chest and midsection they shouted Faggot you faggots give us  no one came to his help the Man recalled. What 1 find frightening is these groups Don l seem to have any fear of verbally or physically assaulting people in the Middle of the Day in a shopping Center in front of businesses with hundreds of people around he said. Somehow they be gotten the message that their action will be condoned or at least  social psychologists and psychiatrists who counsel victims of violence against homosexuals say aids has led to an increase in such violence by providing people who Are already hostile to homosexuals with a justification for their attacks. By repeatedly putting homosexuals in the news the disease has also forced some people to confront a population thai they had ignored