Cases of racism and xenophobia account for over 30% of those handled by the OND, as do cases relating to LGBTI-phobia. Even so, there has been a significant drop in cases of racism and xenophobia (12%) compared to the same period in 2020, while cases of LGBTI-phobia are up by 5%.

During the first six months of 2021, the OND opened 125 cases for discrimination and the violation of rights, some 13% more than the period from January to June 2020, when the figure was 111.

LGBTI-phobia on the rise

In the period up to June, the Office for Non-Discrimination opened 39 cases relating to LGBTI-phobia: 23 due to homophobia, 14 for transphobia and 2 for lesbophobia. In 24 cases people’s moral integrity was violated and in 7 cases there were physical aggressions.

For cases of discrimination due to LGBTI-phobia, the OND has a coordination protocol with the Observatory against Homophobia and the Barcelona LGBTI Centre, to offer comprehensive support for the victim and address their social, psychological and legal needs.

In this respect, the City Council has announced it will act as a private prosecutor in the case of the aggressions against two homosexual couples at the Somorrostro beach at the end of May. The victims were verbally abused and physically attacked, with one of them suffering a fractured maxilla.

Moral integrity the main right to be violated

In terms of the types of rights violated in situations reported to the OND, the right to moral integrity was violated in 43 of the 125 incidents and accounts for the main right to be violated. The provision of services follows in second place, with the right to housing third and on the rise.

Also worth noting is the sharp drop in cases opened for physical aggression, with the figure falling from 27 for the first half of 2020 to 11.