THE co-investigator of a new study by the Sussex Hate Crime Project has launched a stinging attack on Donald Trump for banning transgender individuals from serving in the US armed forces.

The US President announced yesterday that he plans to reinstate the ban on transgender people working “in any capacity” in the forces.

The decision reversed a policy initially approved by the Defence Department under President Barack Obama.

Dr Mark Walters, who is behind a study by the Sussex Hate Crime Project based at the University of Sussex, criticised Trump.

He said: “The kind of discrimination as demonstrated by President Trump’s comment today feeds into the culture of hate that transgender people live with.

“A new study from the University of Sussex has found that 85 per cent of transgender people have experienced verbal abuse and 29 per cent a hate-motivated physical assault in the past three years.

“It is one of the most pervasive forms of prejudice in today’s society and it frequently forms part of trans people’s everyday experiences.

“This latest move by President Trump, which reverses a recent progressive change in the treatment of transgender people, is a strikingly regressive step.”

The study was based on a survey of 593 LGBT people conducted using sampling.

More than six in ten lesbian, gay and bisexual people have been victims of verbal hate incidents.

More than one in ten LGBT people have experienced a hate-motivated physical assault over the past three years.

The survey also shows that over half of trans people and one in five lesbian, gay and bisexual people report more than three instances of direct verbal abuse over the same period.

LGBT people are also likely to experience indirect victimisation on a frequent basis.

This was measured by personally knowing other LGBT people who have experienced direct victimisation.

A total of 73 per cent of trans participants and 49 per cent of lesbian, gay and bisexual participants reported personally knowing other LGBT victims of hate-motivated physical assault.

A total of 71 per cent of trans participants reported knowing more than three victims of verbal abuse and 17 per cent knew more than three victims of physical assault, compared to 32 per cent and nine per cent of lesbian, gay and bisexual participants, respectively.

The authors of the study found that most lesbian, gay and bisexual people feel that others approve of their LGBT identity but trans people still feel disapproval from their families and society in general.

The study also shows trans people believe the police are not effective at policing anti-LGBT hate crime and they are not respectful towards them as victims.

Respondents were also less confident in the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute anti-LGBT hate crimes though the level of confidence was slightly higher when respondents had direct experience with the CPS.

Trump said in a series of tweets on Wednesday morning: “After consultation with my generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US Military.

“Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.”

His comments have sparked national outrage.