A high percentage of young LGBT people in Waterford do not feel safe outdoors.
That's according to on-street surveys undertaken as part of Waterford's new Community Safety Partnership strategy.
ChillOut in Waterford work with over 120 young LGBT people every week.
Speaking to WLR, Debbie O'Rourke says she's not surprised by the results.
"We work with 10 to 24 year olds on a weekly basis and they come into the youth centre here on Manor Street. They change clothes when they get here sometimes and before they leave, they change again because they don't feel comfortable being themselves, being visibly queer."
Looking both locally and globally, Debbie says young people are experiencing higher levels of violence than ever before.
"People taunt, they point, they stare, but it doesn't stop at on-street harrassment, it goes as far as murder."
While one of the outcomes of the survey was the desire for increased public lighting, there was also strong desire raised for more opportunities for education within the community.
Debbie says education becomes more challenging when dealing with adults, and says initiatives need to become more predominant locally in Waterford. She says education should not be associated with just Pride month but all year round.
"People try to force people who are visibly queer back into invisibility. What we really need to do is to challenge the far-right narcissists who are taking hold in the community."
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