Homophobic attacks in Brighton, Hove and Shoreham have trebled in the past year, new figures show.

But the dramatic jump from 12 to 37 is seen as a result of growing confidence within the homosexual community to report offences.

Even so, the figures represent the tip of an iceberg - some 68 per cent of harassment of gay men and women went unreported.

The new figures, drawn from a local survey, have been released prior to the launch tonight of Brighton and Hove's anti-victimisation initiative at Hove Centre.

Funded by Brighton and Hove Council, Sussex Police and a £1.2 million Home Office grant, the initiative aims to further increase reporting of hate crime which includes domestic abuse and verbal and physical attacks on gays and ethnic groups.

A poster and leaflet campaign aimed at reducing hate crime has been organised by the nine organisations involved in the initiative.

Nick Ross, presenter of the BBC's Crimewatch programme, will introduce tonight's programme which includes a talk from Home Office Minister Lord Bassam, former Brighton and Hove Council leader.

Lord Bassam said: "We in the Government take the issue of hate crime very seriously and since we have been in Government we have put more resources aside to deal with it."

Superintendent Andy Bliss, Brighton police commander, appealed to victims to contact the unit. He said: "It is no exaggeration to say that we are looking to prevent murders taking place."

Daniel Ibekwe, chair of Brighton and Hove's Racial Harassment Forum, said the initiative was a recognition of shortcomings in certain areas of police-community relations and the need for a new partnership to "fight the vicious evils of racial harassment, domestic violence and homophobic crime."

The initiative comprises Brighton, Hove and Shoreham police divisions, Brighton and Hove Council, the Domestic Violence Forum, Safety Forum for Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgendered Community, Brighton and Hove's Racial Harassment Forum, Women's Refuge Project and East Sussex Probation Service.