To mark LGBT History month Gwent Police is flying the rainbow flag at its Headquarters in Croesyceiliog for the entire month of February.
Gwent Police introduced their Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGB&T) liaison officers in December 2010, being the first force in Wales to provide specific advice and support to victims of LGB&T hate crime.
Gwent Police now has 20 LGB&T liaison officers and their training has now been developed to provide the same service to same sex domestic violence victims to support them through the reporting, investigative and court processes, as well as signposting them to relevant partner agencies.
Sixty victims of LGB&T hate crime and same sex domestic violence in Gwent have now benefited from the service since its implementation.
The LGBT Liaison officers together with members of the Gwent Police LGBT Support Network – Prism – will be highlighting the role of the liaison officers in various locations throughout the month.
Chief Constable of Gwent Police Jeff Farrar said: “Our LGB&T liaison officers are invaluable in providing support to the victim, witnesses and to the investigating officer. They provide crucial additional guidance to extremely vulnerable victims who need to know that when they report an incident or crime they can be sure they have the services of someone who really understands their needs.
“LGB&T liaison officers also ensure that our investigating officers have the best possible opportunities of bringing the offender to justice and that their sentence reflects the crime they committed.”
