CRIME experts have launched a campaign to find out more about the effects of anti-social behaviour on the gay community.

Hambleton and Richmondshire's community safety partnerships have joined forces to discover the views and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.

Council officers believe gay people in the two districts experience hate crime, but that the majority of incidents go unreported.

However, they said the number of such crimes was relatively low.

Hambledon and Richmondshire councils are in the middle of their annual crime audits and, as part of the process, have to consult with harder-to-reach groups.

To do this, cfficers have launched the Out 4 the Count campaign with the help of David Millar, from the House Red Consultancy.

He is conducting a survey and hopes to find out about the effects of hate crime on the gay community.

Mr Millar said: "The gay community experiences social exclusion and hate crime more than most, yet is less likely to report this.

"Graffiti, name-calling and abuse sounds minor, but easily escalates into physical assault, arson and worse. Gay or not, no one is safe if this goes unchecked.

"It is in everyone's interest that local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people let us have their views in confidence. After all, we are probably North Yorkshire's largest minority, and this survey will make a difference."

Christine Fields, community safety manager at Hambleton District Council, said: "The level of hate crime incidents is very low, yet we know full well that they do happen and go unreported.

"We hope Out 4 the Count will help us find ways of improving the quality of life for all our residents equally."

All libraries in Hambleton and Richmondshire will have crime audit forms and an on-line facility is available at www.showme.co.uk/survey

Alternatively, people can text or speak to Mr Millar, in confidence, on 07762 156885.

All that is required from the respondent is the first half of their postcode.