France had 78% rise in anti-gay incidents in the year it legalized gay marriage

France’s LGBTI community may be seeing a backlash against the legalization of same-sex marriage with a 78% increase in homophobic incidents reported to the SOS Homophobie campaign last year.

There was an upsurge of violence against the LGBTI community in France during 2013 – the same year it legalized same-sex marriage.

Figures from the SOS Homophobie anti-violence campaign found there had been a 78% increase in homophobic incidents being reported to it in 2013 compared to 2012.

Around 3,500 incidents of homophobic harassment or violence were reported to the group in 2013 – with verbal abuse making up 39% of cases.

A homophobic assault was reported to the group on an average of once every two days during 2013 and there were 1,723 reports of online homophobic abuse.

SOS Homophobie attributes the up-swell in homophobic abuse to the legalization of same-sex marriage, as they say the language used by opponents ‘legitimized homophobic insults and violence.'

‘In recent months homophobic language has become completely unabashed in all spheres of society,’ SOS Homophobie’s report says.

‘We can welcome the passing of the law on marriage for all … of this new step towards equality [but] this victory leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.’

The campaign against same-sex marriage even included a group of young men who dubbed themselves ‘Hommen,’ a reference to the topless feminist group FEMEN, and staged shirtless protests.