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Mansfield District Council has appealed for what it believes is the silent majority to show support for the local transgender community after a woman in the town complained about the abuse she says she has suffered at the hands of the town's transphobic element. Action against homophobia in Mansfield Kerry Ann, 25, who was born male, says she has suffered abuse and prejudice in her home town since she began living as a woman.

But her experiences have prompted a call by Mansfield District Council for the town's residents to stand up and support the rights of the LGBT community to live with respect and dignity and free from abuse and discrimination.

Members of the district LGBT community were joined by council representatives, Kerry Ann and local police officers in Mansfield Market Place on Friday 28 August 2015 where members of the public were encouraged to sign the Stonewall charity's No Bystanders pledge for people to speak out and act if they see or hear homophobic or transphobic abuse.

Mansfield Executive Mayor Kate Allsop said: "We really feel for what Kerry Ann has gone through but we are sure that Mansfield is essentially a friendly place and that there is a silent majority out there who would never condone what she has suffered.

"We would like people in the district to take the opportunity to sign up to a pledge to report and act on incidents of abuse of this kind, something which is endorsed in the council's own stance on reporting hate incidents of all kinds."

The council re-endorsed and updated its policy on reporting hate crime on Thursday 27 August 2015 in a delegated decision by the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection Cllr Mick Barton.

Details of that decision can be found at http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/cmadexternal/meetingdatesext.aspx#bookmark10

People can report hate incidents to the council either on the council website or by filling in a form in person or by calling 01623 463463. There are details about how to support and help victims of hate crime on the council website at http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/hatecrime.

The council is also running a social media campaign to encourage as many people as possible in the district to like, share and retweet a call to support the belief of the council that everyone who visits, lives or works in the Mansfield district has the right to be treated with dignity and respect and live without fear or discrimination. It can be found on the council's website page at https://www.facebook.com/mymansfielduk and on Twitter under the tag MDC_News and with the hashtag #notohatecrimeinMansfield.

Published 28 August 2015

- See more at: http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/article/7052/Mansfield-District-Council-invites-residents-to-make-pledge-over-transgender-attacks#sthash.PKMFo3eJ.dpuf