An article examined the justifications for, and implications of, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (which introduced a new statutory offence of 'sexual activity in a public lavatory'). It said that the legislation was largely in contradiction with the realities of police work and contemporary law enforcement.
Source: Paul Johnson, 'Ordinary folk and cottaging: law, morality, and public sex', Journal of Law and Society, Volume 34 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Dec
A report examined the impact and unforeseen consequences of the Civil Partnership Act. Same-sex couples were being inadvertently 'outed' owing to the generic nature of corporate and bank forms. People were struggling with the ambiguity of language surrounding civil partnerships, and did not know how to refer to their circumstance in social situations.
Source: Civil Partnerships: Another Year On, Citizens Advice (020 7833 2181)
Links: Report | Citizens Advice press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Dec
The government reportedly said that the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill (given a second reading in October 2007) would be amended to make it illegal to incite hatred against gay, lesbian, transgender, and disabled people.
Source: The Guardian, 6 November 2007
Links: Guardian report | TUC press release | Mayor of London press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Nov
An article examined the challenges that non-normative sexualities, in particular `lesbian' and `gay', generated for community and neighbourhood models and practices of policing.
Source: Leslie Moran, 'Invisible minorities: challenging community and neighbourhood models of policing', Criminology and Criminal Justice, Volume 7 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Nov
The government announced its intention to introduce amendments to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill designed to strengthen the protection for the public from sex offenders and hate crime. The new legislation would allow police, probation, and prison services to notify members of the public if a sex offender posed a risk to children. A further proposal would create a new offence which would extend protection from harassment already provided for religious and racial groups to gay, lesbian, and bisexual people.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 8 October 2007, column 67, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | MOJ press release | Stonewall press release | Christian Institute press release | Ekklesia report
Date: 2007-Oct
A new book examined the treatment of gender and sexuality issues in the Church of England.
Source: John Burgess, Human Rights and the Church of England: Issues of Gender and Sexuality, John Burgess Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Oct
Between April 2006 and March 2007, the Crown Prosecution Service prosecuted 822 cases identified as having a homophobic element. Of these, 478 resulted in a guilty plea and a further 124 resulted in conviction after trial. This compared to 600 cases prosecuted in 2005-06. The conviction rate had risen slightly, from 71 to 73.5 per cent.
Source: Press release 11 October 2007, Crown Prosecution Service (020 7796 8000)
Links: CPS press release
Date: 2007-Oct
The High Court in Northern Ireland ruled that new legislation banning discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals was lawful with just one exception (relating to harassment provisions). The judgement meant that providers of goods, services, and education could be fined up to £15,000 for breaching regulations: but they could not be prosecuted for stating their opposition to giving a room to a gay or lesbian couple.
Source: Christian Institute and others, Re Application for Judicial Review, High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland 11 September 2007
Links: Text of judgement | ECNI press release | Christian Institute press release | Evangelical Alliance press release | BBC report | Pink News report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Sep
A report provided a broad evidence base to assist statutory bodies in Northern Ireland in considering lesbian/gay/bisexual issues in the development of policy and practice.
Source: Ulf Hansson, Molly Hurley Depret and Barry Fitzpatrick, Equality Mainstreaming: Policy and Practice for LGB People, Institute for Conflict Research (028 9074 2682)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Aug
A report sought to identify the key barriers to the reporting of homophobia against health and social care employees.
Source: Ruth Hunt, Katherine Cowan and Brent Chamberlain, Being the Gay One: Experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual people working in the health and social care sector, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jun
A survey of secondary schools found that almost two-thirds of lesbian and gay pupils (156,000 children) had been victims of homophobic bullying.
Source: The School Report: The experiences of young gay people in Britain's schools, Stonewall (020 7881 9440)
Links: Report | Stonewall press release | ATL press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Jun
An article said that the increase in HIV diagnoses among gay men since 1997 seemed to reflect an increase in HIV testing rather than a rise in HIV incidence.
Source: Sarah Dougan et al., 'Does the recent increase in HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men in the UK reflect a rise in HIV incidence or increased uptake of HIV testing?', Sexually Transmitted Infections, Volume 83 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-May
Researchers examined the impact of regulations (introduced in 2003) making it unlawful for employers to discriminate against their employees on grounds of sexual orientation, and of religion or belief. Workplace discrimination allegations regarding sexual orientation were dominated by claims of bullying and harassment - including name calling, threats, and physical assaults.
Source: Ben Savage, Sexual Orientation and Religion or Belief Discrimination in the Workplace, Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (020 7210 3613) | Ann Denvir, Andrea Broughton, Jonny Gifford and Darcy Hill, The Experiences of Sexual Orientation and Religion or Belief Discrimination Employment Tribunal Claimants, Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
Links: Combined report | ACAS press release | Personnel Today report
Date: 2007-Apr
Researchers found that domestic abuse was a 'sizeable problem' in same-sex relationships.
Source: Catherine Donovan, Marianne Hester, Jonathan Holmes and Melanie McCarry, Comparing Domestic Abuse in Same Sex and Heterosexual Relationships, Violence Against Women Research Group/University of Bristol (0117 954 5561)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Apr
The government published (following consultation) draft regulations designed to protect people (in Great Britain) from being discriminated against in the provision of goods and services because of their sexual orientation. If approved by parliament, the regulations would come into force on 30 April 2007.
Source: The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007, Draft Statutory Instrument, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Statutory Instrument (final: April 2007) | Hansard | DCLG press release | TUC press release | Christian Institute press release | Ekklesia press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report outlined the main findings of a 2005 survey of gay men, focusing on HIV infection, sex between men, and HIV prevention needs.
Source: Ford Hickson, Peter Weatherburn, David Reid, Kathie Jessup and Gary Hammond, Consuming Passions: Findings from the United Kingdom Gay Men's Sex Survey 2005, Sigma Research (020 7737 6223)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report by a joint committee of MPs and peers welcomed the government's proposal to introduce regulations prohibiting discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
Source: Legislative Scrutiny: Sexual Orientation Regulations, Sixth Report (Session 2006-07), HC 350 and HL 58, Joint Committee on Human Rights (House of Lords and House of Commons) Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Feb
The Prime Minister said that there would be no exemptions for faith-based adoption agencies offering publicly-funded services (in particular, those run by the Catholic Church) from regulations which prevented discrimination against same-sex couples. There would be a transition period before the regulations came fully into force at the end of 2008 for existing adoption agencies.
Source: Press release 29 January 2007, 10 Downing Street (020 7270 1234)
Links: Downing St press release | Catholic Church press release | Stonewall press release | Barnardos press release | Christian Institute press release | BAAF press release | TUC press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Times report
Date: 2007-Jan