In Turin, on June 13th, a few days before Pride, a couple of men were brutally attacked outside their home by four people, and one of them had his ear cut off, as shown in the photo.
The victims immediately after the attack turned to Gay Help Line, a toll-free number against homophobia and transphobia, 800713713, to seek legal assistance: operators reported that three men subdued one of them and beat him, while a fourth man attacked the younger man, throwing him to the ground. As he stood over him, he shouted, "You're a fucking faggot, you fucking faggot...do you understand?" and then used a knife to cut off part of his ear. Twenty minutes of extreme and unprovoked violence erupted without anyone intervening to defend the two men. Eventually, one of the victims managed to retrieve his phone and call the police.
“We don't know these people, but I've seen them often under my house: in the days before, I realized they were making fun of us as gay because when I passed under my house, they laughed, made the sign with their ears, and said, 'Look who's there?'” – says the young man whose left earlobe was cut off.”
“The extreme cruelty and brutality of what happened highlights clear indicators of homophobic prejudice – explains Alessandro Cataldi, Legal Representative of Gay Help Line – For this reason, our service is committed to providing legal support to the couple, who are currently still in shock, and has reported the incident to the Observatory against Discriminatory Acts by Law Enforcement (OSCAD)”,
“"What happened is a true hate crime against LGBT+ people, which is why we will ask the judge to extend the aggravating circumstance of hatred to this case, even though the law against homophobia and transphobia has not yet been approved. As an association, we already secured the first case in 2009 with the attack by "Svastichella" who stabbed a gay couple. We hope that this time too, the judiciary will recognize the protections and rights that are lacking."“ adds Sara Franchino, a lawyer who assists those attacked for Gay Help Line.
“In recent months, the hotline has recorded a worrying increase in reports of attacks in public places against lesbian, gay, trans, and queer people: there is a widespread feeling of authorization to use punitive and conscious violence against those considered "different and inferior." Misinformation in public discourse and backtracking on the rights of LGBT+ people authorizes a culture of hate, while the absence of a law that recognizes and punishes these acts as homophobic, transphobic, and transphobic hate crimes leads to uncertainty and insufficient protections. – says Alessandra Rossi, Gay Help Line Coordinator – For this reason, we continue to call, with ever greater urgency, for a concrete commitment from the Government and Parliament to provide legal instruments that will transform into a cultural signal in defense of the rights of LGBT+ people.” .
The Gay Help Line service is managed by Gay Center, with the support of Unar, the Municipality of Rome, the Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute, and the Waldensian Church.