Participation in Project EXIS (CERV-2023-EQUAL)

The discrimination, violence and harassment suffered by LGBTQ+ people remain a painful reality, even when interacting with law enforcement. As confirmed by FRA surveys, only 10% of members of the LGBTQI+ community who are sexually or physically abused report victimization, while 11% have officially reported their experiences of discrimination in an equality body or other organization. There are major stakes, therefore, in the ability of police officers to listen to these issues and by extension to protect the LGBTQI+ community. In addition, Amnesty International’s reports highlight the authorities’ systematic failure to factor hate motives into their investigations. Greece’s first place – in relation to its EU counterparts – in harmful conversion therapies demonstrates the need to undertake activities to develop and cultivate skills that respond to focused problems of the local community.

Thessaloniki Pride, as one of the central bodies for the defense of LGBTQI+ rights in Greece, participates in the consortium for the EXIS Project (CERV-2023-EQUAL) which aims to "Strengthen police officers to combat discrimination and effectively tackle crimes against LGBTQI+ people". The strategic participation of Thessaloniki Pride as a bridging body between the LGBTQI+ community and LEAs, which excels in the field of communication and the dissemination of information material and educational activities, succeeds in promoting the experience of the LGBTQI+ community.

In this context of cultivating responsiveness without social discrimination, and with the aim of guaranteeing safety and building inclusive societies, Thessaloniki Pride co-created targeted educational material based on the real experience of LGBTQI+ people. The participation of Thessaloniki Pride in the organization and implementation of experiential actions and seminars for police trainers with a clear focus on breaking stereotypes and developing communication skills with respect to gender identity was also important. As a continuation of the above actions, Thessaloniki Pride, laying the foundations for documented interventions, implemented together with the partners of the EXIS Project surveys and polling actions to record the experiences and deficits in the relations of the LGBTQI+ community with the police authorities. Through participation in the EXIS Project consortium, Thessaloniki Pride seeks to make a meaningful contribution to a non-discriminatory society.

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