132 Towards the Effective Protection of LGBTI Persons Deprived of Liberty safer way of holding LGBT persons in detention. While such measures can themselves constitute an infringement of the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment, they can also paradoxically increase the visibility of LGBT persons and therefore make them targets for harassment and abuse by fellow detainees or detention staff. Such measures can also deprive LGBT persons from accessing programmes, services, and activities. For fear of bullying, discrimination, and isolation, LGBT persons may be forced to hide their sexual orientation or gender identity, which in turn can have a negative impact on their asylum claims. Good practice (II) Combatting discrimination in reception centers In the Netherlands94, an independent research conducted among residents and former residents of immigration reception centers in 2011 concluded that asylum seekers who were discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or their religion hardly ever reported such incidents to the reception centers’ authorities. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers decided on this basis to initiate the “Willingness to report in case of discrimination” project. In parallel, COC Netherlands (an NGO advocating for the rights of LGBTI persons) launched the “Pink Security Network”, a project that aims to establish a social network of LGBTI asylum seekers and improve their safety, coupled with trainings of reception staff in nine reception centers. On this basis, the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers established a working group on discrimination and drafted a protocol no how to deal with incidents towards asylum seekers. Posters are also displayed in reception centers with strong messages about zero tolerance in case of acts of discrimination. Finally, when couples are provided with suitable accommodation, in particular at reception centers, same-sex couples must not be discriminated against in accessing similar accomodation and services. 94 ILGA-Europe, Good practices related to LGBTI asylum applicants, Sabine Jansen, May 2014, p. 49.