Statistics Canada recently released information about hate crimes reported to police in 2008. The report documented that the number of attacks motivated by sexual orientation more than doubled, with 75% of those attacks involving violence. Recent gay bashings in Vancouver and Lethbridge back up these disturbing findings.

Last week, Peter Regier and David Holtzman, a gay couple residing in Vancouver, British Columbia, were violently attacked as they returned home. Holtzman was repeatedly punched and bitten by his attacker, while his partner suffered a concussion and was hospitalized as a result of his injuries. In a separate hate-motivated incident, Mark Spracklin, a University of Lethbridge student, found highly offensive homophobic slurs spray-painted on his car.

As Canada’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) human rights organization, we condemn these malicious and violent attacks. We urge the Vancouver and Lethbridge Police to investigate these hate crimes fully, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

These incidents highlight the unfortunate reality that homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia remain a serious problem in Canadian society. Egale’s Safe Schools Campaign and our outreach work with police services from across the country are designed to combat homophobia in schools, and to encourage victims of hate crime to come forward to police. However, these recent attacks demonstrate that more work needs to be done to make Canadian society truly inclusive and safe for all.

Egale Canada is Canada’s LGBT human rights organization: advancing equality, diversity, education, and justice.