Hate crimes – an attack on our open society

Queer people in Switzerland are exposed to verbal and physical violence on a daily basis. The wider society is often unaware of this threat. And those who are told how queer people are insulted in public spaces, spat at on the streetcar, pelted with drinks cans on the way to the Pride Parade or physically attacked often react with disbelief or astonishment. But the reality is clear: even in a progressive and supposedly free country like Switzerland, anti-queer hate crimes are not uncommon. Neither the introduction of marriage for all nor the victory of a non-binary person at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest has changed this.

What are hate crimes?

Hate crimes are criminal and violent acts in which a person is intentionally and deliberately harmed due to an actual or suspected membership of a social group. In Switzerland, such acts can be reported directly to the LGBTIQ helpline since 2016. The helpline records the attacks and offers support to those affected in a peer offer, i.e. through people from the LGBTIQ community. According to the latest Hate Crimes Report, which is published by various organizations (LGBTIQ-Helpline, Pink Cross, LOS and TGNS), a total of 305 hate crimes were reported in 2023. This corresponds to almost six reports per week. In 2020, there were only 61.

Most of those affected experience violence in public spaces. Queer people whose gender identity or gender expression is visible are particularly at risk. The sharp increase is worrying. And so, even in 2025, it is unfortunately not a matter of course that queer people will be able to move freely in public spaces without fear of attack – be it walking hand in hand with someone they are in a relationship with or attending a Pride parade.

Hate crimes as an attack on our open society

Hate crimes are not only directed against the specific person affected, they are directed against the entire social group to which this person belongs. One frightening example was the attempt by right-wing extremist groups to disrupt Pride parades in eastern Germany. Such attacks make it clear that hate crimes are not aimed at the queer community, but at our open society as a whole.

A strengthening of the political right can be observed throughout Europe. They are fighting against the rights of queer people at a political level and at the same time spreading hatred in everyday life. This not only takes place in anonymous internet forums or Telegram groups, but also in real public places – at bus stops, in schoolyards or on sidewalks.

The Eurovision Song Contest, which is taking place in Basel this year and will attract tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world – many of them from the LGBTIQ community – may also be the target of hate crimes. In the political debate surrounding the vote in Basel-Stadt, the EDU used anti-queer arguments and portrayed the event as “hedonistic”, “decadent”, if not “Satanist”.

The responsibility of society and authorities

The fight against hate crime affects us all. It is society’s duty to take a stand against these attacks, most of which take place in public spaces. But security authorities and victim support centers also have a role to play. Their aim must be to improve access to support and advice. Only 15 % of the hate crimes reported to the LGBTIQ helpline in 2023 were reported to the police. This is worrying. The report on hate crimes lists the reasons: Those affected fear rejection from the police, they think the incident has no police relevance and they are afraid of perpetrators.

The queer community has not had good experiences with the police in the past. Christopher Street Day originated as a protest against discriminatory police raids in New York. And it was not until 1980 that the so-called gay registers kept by the city police in Zurich and Bern were abolished. These are just two examples of the difficult relationship between the queer community and the security authorities.

Even today, too many victims who report hate crimes to the police still experience negative experiences. According to the Hate Crime Report 2024, 11% experienced rejection or condescension and 13 % were confronted with ignorance on the part of the police. This shows that there is still work to be done to restore the queer community’s trust in the police and the legal system.

The role of victim support

The Federal Act on Assistance to Victims of Crime (Victim Assistance Act) guarantees free and unpaid support to all persons who fall victim to a crime in Switzerland. However, queer victims of hate crime rarely turn to a victim support center. Victim support services in beider Basel are also called upon to facilitate access and tailor their services to the needs of the queer community, for example by offering more outreach and low-threshold counseling and training peer counselors on how to deal with people affected by violence and their rights.

Queer people in Switzerland must be able to rely on finding support after an assault. It is the responsibility of victim support to ensure that these people can exercise their rights as victims – without barriers and without fear of further discrimination.

Conclusion: A common fight for a just society

It is the responsibility of all of us to create a society in which all people can live safely and with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This requires a strong, united community that stands up against hate crime. Only together can we build a society in which diversity is valued and discrimination has no chance.