If someone has been violent or hostile towards you because of your sexual orientation, you can report it to the police as a hate crime or hate incident.Ĭheck how to report a hate crime or incident to the police. To prove direct discrimination, it will help if you can give an example of someone from a different sexual orientation who, in similar circumstances, has been, or would have been, treated more favourably than you.Ībuse and harassment because of sexual orientation are forms of direct discrimination. It is also direct discrimination to treat you less favourably because of the sexual orientation of someone you know, such as a family member or friend (discrimination by association). It is direct discrimination to treat you less favourably because of your sexual orientation than someone of a different sexual orientation would be treated in the same circumstances. Direct discrimination because of sexual orientation