LGBTQ Vermonters are subjected to one of the highest rates of bias-motivated crimes in the country — at least according to one study. Five percent of the Green Mountain State's population identifies as LGBTQ.

Much of the data included in Security.org's study comes from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual hate crime publication. The District of Columbia leads in bias-motivated incidents per 100,000 people at 10.06. The number dramatically drops for the next slot, where Vermont and Washington tie at 1.28.

The study notes that while D.C. ranks highest, it has a large LGBTQ population as well as a small overall population.

Vermont's adult population is over 500,000. Over 26,000 of these individuals are estimated to be LGBTQ community members, according to the Movement Advancement Project.

The study's limitations

The report points out instances in which the data might not fairly represent the scale to which LGBTQ individuals were targeted. Some of these include:

Not all law enforcement bodies report information.

"Hate crime" is defined differently in each state.

Some incidents involving FBI investigations are not grouped in with data releases.

Seemingly low numbers (ex: Alabama only having nine bias-motivated incidents in 2017) are reported.

People may not feel comfortable reporting their experiences.

Nonetheless, there are still efforts being made in the Green Mountain State to address these incidents.

People involved with Vermont's LGBTQ community speak up

"This past summer I would say that we have seen an increase specifically in vandalism," Skylar Wolfe of Burlington's Pride Center of Vermont said, including a Pride flag being burned in Burlington.

Pride Month flag-burning:Burlington incident prompts reflection on nation's rise in hate crimes

Similarly, Wolfe said he and others at the Pride Center have anecdotally noticed an increase in the verbal harassment directed toward transgender people. However, he said this could simply be due to an increased awareness among transgender individuals of the resources available through the Pride Center; In other words, maybe more people have grown comfortable sharing their experiences with the center, which is why it seems like there are more incidents.

He considered that the numbers in the report could be high due to something external — like changes in documenting complaints — though this did not mean hate crimes were not occurring or that they didn't warrant attention.

The Free Press asked if Vermont being perceived as a liberal state might make people feel more comfortable reporting. Wolfe agreed this could be a potential factor.

"There are still a tremendous number of people in the state who will not report," he said, citing distrust in law enforcement.

Wolfe's not wrong.

Responses to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, run by the National Center for Transgender Equality, determined:

Of the 27,715 respondents, over half expressed discomfort calling police for help.

58 percent indicated mistreatment by police (physical, sexual, verbal) in 2014 and 2015.

Similarly, Lambda Legal, "the nation's oldest and largest LGBTQ nonprofit legal organization," according to the Center for Public Integrity, determined the following in its 2012 survey:

Of 2,376 respondents, 14 percent reported experiencing verbal assault by an officer in the previous five years.

Two percent reported physical assault.

Three percent reported sexual harassment.

The Director of Fair and Impartial Policing and Community Affairs with the Vermont State Police agreed.

"We have to do a better job," Captain Garry Scott said.

Scott said the state's law enforcement is working to focus on shortcomings, like improper coding and investigations. Victims need to feel comfortable, he said, acknowledging different parts of the state might experience varying levels of comfort in reporting incidents.

Scott's position has him focus on key areas to ensure fair policing with all Vermonters, which include: Reaching out to diverse communities and partnering with organizations like the Pride Center and the LGBTQIA Alliance of Vermont; hiring individuals who "have strong knowledge and understanding of national issues relating to policing"; and regularly reviewing policies, including those pertaining to bias-incident reporting.

How does Vermont define hate crimes?

Hate crimes do not stand alone. Instead, they're linked to other criminal charges, like assault.

Hate crimes in Vermont:Why police, lawyers sometimes disagree if someone crossed the line

According to previous Free Press reporting, when there is an allegation of something criminal, Vermont requires proof the criminal act "was maliciously motivated by a person's 'actual or perceived'":

Race.

National origin.

Service in U.S. Armed Forces.

Gender identity.

Sex.

Ancestry.

Religion.

Color.

Age.

Disability.

Sexual orientation.

How accurate is the report's data?

The Free Press reached out to an account executive with RN Public Relations, Haley Helms, who sent the study over initially. She clarified questions regarding the accuracy of the data, specifically if Vermont actually experiences higher rates of incidents or if its small population size skewed the information.

She pointed to Vermont's rates being based on only eight total incidents.

"So the relative size of the state's overall population certainly is a factor, but there's little reason to believe the rate should be lower than it is," she wrote.

She boiled this down to two reasons:

The incident numbers are unlikely to be in single digits anywhere in the United States.

Hate crimes tend to be under-reported.

Another metric in the report measured how many bias-motivated incidents involved LBGTQ people out of all bias-motivated incidents. She pointed out that Vermont ranked relatively high on that front as well. Additionally, a comparatively high population of LGBTQ+ community members in Vermont means there are more opportunities for people to be targeted.

Members in law enforcement must listen to the communities around them and understand their needs, according to Capt. Scott.

"That's what changes the culture internally in the state police."

Contact Maleeha Syed at mzsyed@freepressmedia.com or 802-495-6595. Follow her on Twitter @MaleehaSyed89.