Figures today show that hate crime has risen by 29 per cent, and I believe that is a record rise in England and Wales. I’m sure that the vast majority of fair-minded people in this Chamber, in our communities and our country will agree that this is unacceptable. All of us here have a duty to speak up, stand up and take action to challenge and combat prejudice and hate wherever and to whom it rears its ugly head. I’ve spoken previously in this place on this same issue, and I’ve made clear that there can be no hierarchy of hate.

However, today I’d like to focus my contribution on bullying, and particularly the rise of online abuse. Results from a Stonewall survey in August 2017 showed that one in 10 LGBT people have experienced homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse or behaviour online directed towards them personally. This number increases to one in four trans people who have experienced transphobic abuse or behaviour, and half of all LGBT people who have witnessed homophobic, biphobic and transphobic abuse or behaviour online that was not directed towards them in the last month. I’m sure Members in here will be aware that there’s something about social media that seems to make people think that they can say and do whatever they want without fear or thought for the implications.

I just want to bring it home a little bit to illustrate a bit closer to home for Members here. I’m recalling that in February last year, we had an individual Member debate to mark LGBT history month, and as part of that I did some media work around it. In one of the headlines on BBC Politics online, they ran with ‘Hannah Blythyn: I'm proud to be one of the first openly gay AMs’. And whilst the people responding couldn’t quite manage to find me to tweet at me, just to give you some of the things I can repeat in the Chamber of what they tweeted back:

‘Why do people think that the vast majority care what their sexual preferences are?’

‘How does that make you a better AM’

‘I am utterly disinterested. Identity politics is soooo borrrrrrrring. Who cares who she sleeps with.’

My absolute favourite, and I say this with a hint of sarcasm, was somebody saying, ‘this is England’. The reason why I highlight these cases is because I think it’s—. You know, I put myself up there in public life, and I’ve made a decision to be open about who I am, because I think visibility’s important. But I think we also have a responsibility to call out these things, because what is banter and humour to one person can hurt and have consequences to another. So, we need Government and public bodies to act swiftly and seriously to deal with incidents of online abuse, keeping individuals informed on the progress and any actions that have been taken. I also think the global social media players need to take both online hate and abuse more seriously, and have more stringent standards and effective measures in place to hold those perpetrators to account.

Government and other stakeholders need to work together with the police to develop more effective responses to hate online, in consultation with the people that are impacted and the organisations that are there to support them. I think we all need to get tougher on allowing this space for hate to fester and flourish online. We cannot allow the continuation of an area that is allowed to incubate and to also amplify hate, because that online vacuum can then become a platform for people to go offline and perpetrate acts of hate. On that, I’m sure I’m not alone in being troubled that we are becoming less tolerant of others, with a definite shift downwards in the tone and terms of debate. I have to say, this is not about political correctness; it’s about basic respect and consideration for one another as fellow human beings.

I think we must acknowledge and act on why people perhaps feel alienated and distant from the political system, and I think a lot of that is economic factors underneath it, but I don’t think we shouldn’t be clear that that does not mean we should sink to the lowest common denominator and allow that as an excuse to scapegoat and hit out at the most vulnerable in our society, pitching communities and groups against one another.

I get the feeling sometimes when we’re having some of these debates that there are people who somehow think that progress on legislative equality has tipped the balance the other way, and I think we need to be very clear on this. Equality for me does not mean fewer rights for someone else. Equality, by its very dictionary definition, is the state of being equal, especially in status, rights or opportunities. We need to remember that, and we need to speak out in support of that. So, this Thursday, I will be speaking at an event at St Asaph cathedral to mark 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality. The event will provide an opportunity to look at history and hope for the future. My contribution will be looking at the future and the Wales and the world we hope to one day live in, a future Wales and world where I hope each and every one of us can live our lives as we are for who we are, free from fear of prejudice and hate. The onus is on each and every one of us to make this a reality, so let us lead in speaking out, stepping up and stamping out hate and discrimination. Diolch yn fawr.