The Reporting and Information Office on Queerhostility (MIQ NRW) has released its first annual report. Since its launch on March 17, 2025, for the 2025 calendar year a total of 258 queer-hostility incidents in North Rhine-Westphalia were reported and analyzed—covering both prosecutable cases and incidents that fall below the threshold for criminal charges.
According to the report, the range of incidents spans theft and vandalism of LGBTQ+ symbols, through microaggressions, to insults, threats, and physical violence. The majority of reports—196 cases, or 76 percent—came from those directly affected, 42 (16 percent) from witnesses, and 20 (8 percent) from organizations. Additionally, MIQ NRW logged 30 assault and hate-related reports directed at the agency itself.
Queerphobia in Public Space Most Common
Nearly two-thirds of the incidents (64 percent) were categorized as harassment—such as hostility, insults, humiliation, or bullying. Reports also included physical violence, like assault and damage to property, as well as subtler forms such as mockery, misgendering or deadnaming, and restricted access to housing markets or public restrooms. More than one-fifth of the incidents (56 cases, 22 percent) involved intersectional discrimination, for example overlaps with racism, sexism, or misogyny.
Amid the findings, public space emerged as the area with the highest incidence of queer-hostility (111 cases, 43 percent), followed by educational settings (31 cases, 12 percent), the retail and service sector (25 cases, 10 percent), and digital spaces (23 cases, 9 percent).
Only 11 Percent File a Police Report
The results align with the state’s 2025 Living Conditions study, “Queer Through NRW,” which found that transgender and/or nonbinary people are disproportionately affected, accounting for 94 of 196 self-identified reporters (48 percent). Transphobia and homophobia are the most commonly reported forms, each at 35 percent. Only about 11 percent of those affected and witnesses file a police report, with roughly 4 percent seeking counseling services.
The report notes substantial consequences for those affected: nearly 39 percent report experiences of fear, helplessness, and diminished self-worth or perceived powerlessness.
“The MIQ NRW annual report confirms what queer people have known for years: queer-hostility causes significant harm,” said Patrick Orth, a member of the Queer Network NRW board. “The political hesitancy to address queer-hostility is unacceptable.”
The full annual report is available free of charge in the online shop of the Queer Network NRW for download.
