Homophobic abuse all too common, Stephen Doughty MP says

Stephen Doughty MP said he had received physical homophobic abuse as well as verbal and online abuse

An MP has spoken out about being a victim of physical and verbal homophobic attacks.

Stephen Doughty said society was "going backwards" amid a rise in hate crimes based on sexual orientation.

The Labour MP for Cardiff South and Penarth was speaking ahead of a vigil for Dr Gary Jenkins who was murdered last year in a homophobic attack.

Three people will be sentenced next month after being convicted of the attack in Cardiff's Bute Park.

Home Office statistics show hate crimes against people based on sexual orientation have doubled in four years.

"We've also seen a doubling in hate crimes against people from the trans community," said Mr Doughty.

"And I certainly have had my own experience of that.

"I know that many other members of the community in Cardiff and Wales, across the UK, have had experiences of that recently.

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"We seem to be going backwards, as I said, rather than forwards in terms of what people are actually experiencing in their daily lives."

He told BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement programme that he had been the victim of physical homophobic abuse in "broad daylight".

"I've also had people screaming homophobic abuse.

"I've also had online abuse, people saying they are going to sort my issues out," said Mr Doughty, vice chairman of an all-party parliamentary group on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT+) rights.

"It's unfortunately quite a long list and quite a number of us don't talk about these publicly because, obviously, they are deeply disturbing but, I'm afraid, it is all too common."

The vigil for Dr Jenkins is due to take place on the steps of National Museum Wales in Cardiff on Sunday.

Mr Doughty said Dr Jenkins' death was a "truly senseless, horrific and tragic act" and he said thoughts and prayers were with his family.

"It has affected a lot of people," he said.