A new Stonewall poll has found that more than a third of the UK’s LGBTs don’t feel comfortable holding their partner’s hand in public.

The survey, which surveyed the attitudes of over 5000 LGBTs across Britain about their experiences of homo/transphobia and discrimination based on in a report called ‘LGBT in Britain – Hate Crime and Discrimination‘.

“The research reveals that anti-LGBT abuse extends far beyond acts of hate and violence on our streets,” reads the introduction to the report on Stonewall’s site. “Many LGBT people still endure poor treatment while using public services and going about their lives, whether in their local shop, gym, school or place of worship.”

Despite having marriage equality and legislative protections for LGBTs more than a third of the country’s LGBT citizens polled (36 percent) said they don’t feel comfortable walking down the street while holding their partner’s hand, with this figure increasing to three in five gay men (58 percent).

Among the key findings of the poll, timed to coincide with a major new campaign entitled Come Out for LGBT, were:

• One in five LGBT people (21 percent) have experienced a hate crime or incident due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity in the last 12 months
• Two in five trans people (41 percent) have experienced a hate crime or incident because of their gender identity in the last 12 months and one in six LGB people, who aren’t trans (16 percent), have experienced a hate crime or incident due to their sexual orientation in the same period
• The number of lesbian, gay and bisexual people who have experienced a hate crime or incident in the last year because of their sexual orientation has risen by 78 per cent from nine per cent in 2013 to 16 per cent in 2017
• Four in five LGBT people (81 percent) who experienced a hate crime or incident didn’t report it to the police
• Three in 10 LGBT people (29 percent) avoid certain streets because they do not feel safe there as an LGBT person
• More than a third of LGBT people (36 percent) say they don’t feel comfortable walking down the street while holding their partner’s hand. This increases to three in five gay men (58 percent)
• One in 10 LGBT people (10 per cent) have experienced homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse online directed towards them personally in the last month. This number increases to one in four for trans people (26 per cent) directly experiencing transphobic abuse online in the last month

(from Stonewall)

The poll also reveals some worrying statistics around discrimination in the day-to-day lives of Britain’s LGBTs (specific statistics pertaining to Wales and Scotland are also available here).

One in 10 LGBT people (10 percent) who were looking for a house or flat to rent or buy in the last year reported to having been discriminated against due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Almost a quarter of black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT people (24 percent) attempting to access social services in the last year reported discrimination based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Other findings revealed that:

• One in six LGBT people (17 percent) who visited a café, restaurant, bar or nightclub in the last 12 months have been discriminated against based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity
• Almost three in 10 LGBT people (28 percent) who visited a faith service or place of worship in the past 12 months experienced discrimination.
• One in ten LGBT people (10 percent) who attended a live sporting event in the last year experienced discrimination because of their sexual orientation and/or gender.

The report concludes with several recommendations for tackling anti-LGBT discrimination, including calling out anti-LGBT abuse (“so long as it is sage to”) reporting hate crimes.

“At Stonewall, we want everyone across Britain who feels impacted by reading this report to join our campaign and pledge to come out for LGBT people everywhere, as visible allies,” said Stonewall’s chief executive Ruth Hunt.

It is also recommended that police forces should improve training for all officers to better record homo/bi/transphobic hate crimes, better support victims and bring perpetrators to justice, reports BBC.

If you witness anti-LGBT crime, contact your local Garda station. If you are affected by any of the issues raised or discussed in Stonewall’s report and wish to talk, you can contact the National LGBT Helpline on 1890 929 539.