I am an MSc Forensic Psychology student at Birmingham City University and as part of my studies I am required to conduct a piece of research. I have identified a need for research into the barriers to reporting anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime to law enforcement. I am contacting you to ask whether it would be possible to advertise my study to your organisation, by you sharing it either through email or social media, when it has received ethical approval from the university’s ethics committee. I am approaching your organisation because of its active involvement with the LGBTQ+ community and the support network it provides to its members, that makes it a safe space for sharing their experiences.

A study and what is involved for potential participants is attached. The survey is completed online via a link and should take a maximum of 15 minutes for participants to complete.

I am asking you whether it would be possible for you to share that link with your organisation members once my study has received ethical approval (hopefully by January).

I would be extremely grateful if you could pass this link onto your members, either via your mailing list or via social media. When I have ethical approval, I can send you the link alongside a poster and/or a worded explanation of the study that would be ready for you to send out as is. It would simply need forwarding to them by email or reposting on your social media.

I hope that you find the project of interest and would be interested in assisting me in participant recruitment. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Or you can contact my supervisors if you would like a reference or other information.

Dr Laura Hammond: laura.hammond@bcu.ac.uk

Dr Rebecca Wheeler-Mundy: rebecca.wheeler-mundy@bcu.ac.uk

Many thanks,

Chloe Russell