Shocking levels of violence and abuse that are experienced by lesbian, bisexual and transgender women were detailed on Wednesday at the inaugural National Research Conference on Violence against Women and Children being hosted in Melbourne by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS).
One of the presentation slides detailed some of the family-related homophobic abuse experienced by two 19 year olds:
“My father and stepmother believed I wouldn’t be gay if they knocked it out of me, quite literally used to slam my head against the wall, gave me a headache, but I’m still gay.”
“I got 3 broken ribs, a broken collar bone, a punctured lung, my jaw broken in 2 different places and 7 of my teeth got punched out when my father found out I was a homosexual.”
They are statistics and experiences that should be topmost in mind for the Federal Government’s alarming review of the Safe Schools program and are a strong rebuke to conservative MPs questioning the need for tolerance in our schools.
Annie Blatchford, who is covering #ANROWS2016 for the Croakey Conference News Service, reports below on the levels of violence faced by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community and growing concerns that these risks are exacerbated when issues like Safe Schools and marriage equality are politicised, such as with the insistence of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to put the same sex marriage proposal to a highly contested plebiscite.
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Annie Blatchford reports:
La Trobe University Senior Research Fellow Dr Philomena Horsley (photographed above, by Olivia Blackburn) became visibly upset during her presentation at the conference when she addressed the Federal Government’s decision to review the Safe Schools program in the wake of right wing backbencher complaints that it was a “radical” program of indoctrination.
She urged those attending to write to their MPs in defence of the program and commended Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews for his intervention: see full text below.
Dr Horsley said that the people involved with the Safe Schools program, which aims to create inclusive school environments, had been receiving threatening emails for two weeks. She said the situation is a reminder of the cumulative effect and often difficult lived experiences of the individuals who work to create change in this area.
She was reporting to the conference on her research which focuses on the abuse and violence experienced by lesbian, bisexual and transgender girls and women and where the gaps in research lie.
It is known that lesbian and bisexual women experience significantly more sexual coercion than heterosexual women. Fifty per cent of same sex attracted young women aged 14-21 report homophobic physical and verbal violence in the home and lesbians are more likely to report same sex partner violence than gay men.
These cumulative experiences of violence lead to higher rates of alcohol and drug use, smoking, psychological distress, suicidality and poor health among lesbian, bisexual and transgender women, she said.
Dr Horsley also spoke about violence in the broader community, including the workplace where 10 per cent of gay, lesbian and bisexual Australians report being discriminated against.
The upcoming same-sex marriage plebiscite is yet another example of how public and workplace violence will be exacerbated, she added.
However, she sees hope ahead. Dr Horsley is a trainer at Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria (GLHV), which received government funding to deliver diversity training to the aged and community care sector. In that role, she said she had seen gathering public momentum which will hopefully embed systematic change in the future. As an example, there is progress on the way on the historic criminality of homosexuality, which is still a burning issue for many gay men, with the Victorian Government planning to issue a state apology.
She said GLHV has helped develop national standards and a national service accreditation program – the Rainbow Tick – which support organisations to understand and implement LGBTI-inclusive service delivery.
Here’s Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews response to the Safe Schools inquiry:
Some more Twitter reactions:
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Family Violence Contacts
- In emergency situations or danger, call police on 000
- For confidential help and referral, call the National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line on 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
- Children/young people needing help should call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
- Call the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service Victoria toll free on 1800 105 303.
- The National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling help line can be reached at 1800 737 732
- The Men’s Referral Service provides anonymous and confidential telephone counselling, information and referrals to men to help them take action to stop using violent and controlling behaviour: 1300 766 491
Mental Health Contacts
For people who may be experiencing sadness or trauma, please visit these links to services and support
- If you are depressed or contemplating suicide, help is available at Lifeline on 131 114 or online. Alternatively you can call the Suicide Call Back Serviceon 1300 659 467.
- For young people 5-25 years, call kids help line1800 55 1800
- For resources on social and emotional wellbeing and mental health services in Aboriginal Australia, see here.
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Track Croakey’s coverage of #ANROWS2016 here. More to come.
