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Violence and Homophobia

LGBT Australians Face High Rates of Violence and Harassment

A significant number of studies have been completed over the past decade demonstrating that LGBT people continue to be subject to alarmingly high levels of homophobic abuse, harassment or violence. In 2003, the NSW Attorney General's Department found that 56% of gay men and lesbians had experienced one or more forms of homophobic abuse, harassment or violence during the past twelve months with 85% experiencing such homophobic behaviours over their lifetime1.

At home…At work…At school…On the street

The violence and homophobia faced by LGBT people occurs across all social settings. Research has shown that the two most common locations for someone to experience homophobic abuse is on the street (usually near a gay or lesbian venue) or near their home2. A 2002 report from Sydney University found that 59% of LGBT workers had experienced some form of homophobic behaviour in the workplace3, while research from La Trobe University indicates that large numbers of same sex attracted young people experience harassment and violence every day at school and that this is increasing over time.4

"What makes me sick is homophobia"

Such high levels of violence and homophobia have a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of LGBT Australians with over 60% modifying their behaviour everyday to avoid these experiences5. In comparison with the general population, LGBT Australians are subject to a number of poorer health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol use which can be largely attributed to the discrimination and in some cases physical and verbal abuse that they experience across the country6.

Challenging Violence and Discrimination Against LGBT Australians

Despite the occurrence of alarmingly high level of violence and abuse based on sexuality, sex and/or gender identity in Australia, there has been little leadership from the Commonwealth in addressing the issue. Such leadership should be shown through:

  • The development of a national anti-homophobia campaign that includes elements that target the formation of homophobic and transphobic attitudes among young people
  • Funding from Commonwealth Crime Prevention resources for programmes that address LGBT-specific violence
  • Specifically targeting homophobic and transphobic violence in schools through the National Safe Schools Framework.

In the community, a wide range of initiatives work to combat homophobia and transphobia, and promote the resilience and wellbeing of LGBT people, eg IDAHO.

 

 

References

  1. NSW Attorney General's Department (2003) You Shouldn't Have to Hide to Be Safe: A Report on Homophobic Hostilities and Violence Against Gay Men and Lesbians in NSW, Sydney, p.2
  2. Ibid, p.39.
  3. Irwin, J. (2002), The Pink Ceiling is Too Low: Workplace Experiences of Lesbians, Gay Men and Transgender People, Australian Centre for Lesbian and Gay Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, p.28
  4. Hillier, L., Turner, A., & Mitchell A.(2005) Writing Themselves In Again: The 2nd National Report on the Sexual Health & Wellbeing of Same-Sex Attracted Young People in Australia, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society (ARCSHS) La Trobe University, Melbourne, p.35
  5. Pitts, M., Smith, A., Mitchell, A., & Patel, S. (2006) Private Lives: A Report on the Health and Wellbeing of LGBTI Australians, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, p.49
  6. Ibid p.28