HAMPSHIRE police have seen a sharp rise in the number of hate crimes committed against transgender people.

The latest Home Office data shows 80 incidents were recorded by the police between April 2017 and March 2018 – up from 65 in 2016-17.

Over the same period 424 people reported homophobic hate crime to Hampshire police, an increase of 39% on the previous year.

But LGBT charity Stonewall believes the true figures are much higher.

Laura Russell, head of policy at the charity, said: “No lesbian, gay, bi or trans person should have to experience homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse.

“While some may suggest the rise is due to increased confidence in reporting, we fear it represents the tip of the iceberg.

“From our research into hate crime, we know underreporting is still a major issue with four in five anti-LGBT hate crimes and incidents going unreported, with younger LGBT people particularly reluctant to go to the police.”

A Daily Echo-backed campaign to stamp out hate crime in the city was launched a week ago today.

Led by Spectrum Centre for Independent Living, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the issue and encourage more people to report incidents of hate crime.

SPECTRUM’s chief executive, Ian Loynes, said: “The increase in LGBT hate crime in Hampshire is worrying.

“If people experience it they can report at any of our hate crime reporting centres across the city, particularly The London Hotel, or download the app Love Don’t Hate, which is available on Google Play or the Apple Store.”

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