The Australian city of Sydney is home to the second-largest population of homosexuals in the world, (surpassed only by San Francisco) and the renowned Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. But it is also subject to violent homophobia. Between 1990 and 1997, 33 homosexuals were murdered in what are described as ‘hate crimes’. But police are attempting to improve relations with the gay community and curb violence – in 1990 police in Sydney appointed Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers who give lectures on homophobia in schools, provide protection for gay events and lead anti-bias sessions in police training. Assaults against homosexuals have dropped 46 per cent in the past five years and almost 70 per cent of homosexual murder cases have been solved.

*_World Press Review_ Vol 46 No 1*

This article is from the April 1999 issue of New Internationalist.

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