Rising LGBTQ+ Hate Crimes in Spain: Recent Report Reveals Alarming Statistics
Hate against LGBTQ+ individuals is intensifying in Spain, with one in six LGBTQ+ people experiencing physical or verbal aggression in the past year, a staggering increase compared to the previous year. These figures come from the third report on the state of LGBTQ+ hate, related to 2025, prepared by the State Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Trans, Bisexual, Intersex, and more (FELGTBI) and presented in Madrid on Wednesday.
The report highlights an alarming rise in both aggression and discrimination faced by this community. In the past year, 42.5% of LGBTQ+ individuals reported experiencing some form of homophobia, with 16.25% suffering direct aggression, 20.3% facing harassment (down 39.3% from 2024), and 25.25% encountering discrimination (up 23.5% from the previous year).
According to the FELGTBI, about 11.1% of Spain's population identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community, equating to approximately five million individuals. Extrapolating from the report's data, it is estimated that 812,000 individuals were victims of aggression, 819,000 were harassed, and 1.28 million experienced discrimination in the past year.
Paula Iglesias, president of FELGTBI, condemned the growing incidents of both physical and verbal violence, reporting that last year alone saw 2.8 million acts of homophobic hate affecting two million victims. The study, based on surveys of 800 members of the LGBTQ+ community, identifies several risk factors that exacerbate the vulnerability of certain victims, including lower income, young individuals aged 25 to 34, those who identify as trans, or individuals living in towns with populations under 10,000 where there is significantly less protection and higher rates of underreporting.
The street is the most common site of LGBTQ+ hate incidents, accounting for 35% of all reported aggressions, followed by schools at 16.9% and leisure venues at 13%. The FELGTBI notes an increase in reporting of these hate situations, with 26.82% of incidents documented compared to 16.5% in 2024. However, the level of underreporting remains notably high. Additionally, the report points out that 33% of those who filed a complaint reported having a negative experience during the reporting process.
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