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| COC Discusses Safety LGBTs with Responsible Minister |
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by our Editors in History & Politics , 13 november 2016
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COC Netherlands and Minister Ard van der Steur discussed the safety of lesbians, homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender people, and those with an intersex condition. The gay interest group COC wants perpetrators of LGBT discrimination persecuted more often, and calls for performance agreements with the police and the Public Prosecution.
 Even though approximately 700 LGBTs have to deal with discrimination, on a yearly basis, only a small number of perpetrators is sentenced. They usually are sentenced to community service (40 hours) or a fine (EUR 400), according to data from the Justice department. Many parties guilty of LGBT discrimination are not prosecuted at all. The COC wants that offenders are firmly dealt with. It will ask the Minister to reach performance agreements with the police and the Public Prosecution.
COC thinks it is positive that at its insistence, the justice department made addressing LGBT discrimination a top priority. COC calls for a concrete action program for the implementation of this priority.
Part of such an action program should be that tackling discrimination receives more attention at the police academy. COC advocates that in each district, special police officers are specialised in this subject. In addition, COC wants Pink in Blue teams throughout the Netherlands - police teams that are specialized in dealing with anti-LGBT violence. Naturally, COC also wants the government to take measures to prevent violence against LGBTs.
Recommeded was for the Minister to retain articles 137 c-e of the Dutch Criminal Code, which makes insulting of and inciting acts of hatred towards LGBTs punishable. Former PVV MP Joram van Klaveren has submitted a bill to drop these articles.
A number of issues in the field of family law with Minister Van der Steur, such as good parenthood regulations, the cancelling of gender registration, and improving the Transgender Act was also discussed.
COC calls on LGBTs to always report violent incidents or discrimination. This is possible at Pink in Blue, among other facilities.
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