Life

Half of LGBTQ+ sexual violence victims were assaulted because of their identity, study finds

By Conor Clark

20th April 2022

The identity of an LGBTQ+ sexual assault survivor was found to be the reason for their attack in more than half of cases by a new study.

Content warning: This story may include topics that could make some readers feel uncomfortable.

Almost 1,000 LGBTQ+ sexual assault survivors were surveyed by Galop as part of the research, with 53% believing their attacks were linked to, or the result of, their identity.

One in five victims never told anyone about their ordeal and, of the 82% of people who did share what they experienced with someone, only one in three had done so within six months of the incident taking place.

It was also determined that two-thirds (67%) of respondents experienced an increase in suicidal thoughts because of their assault.

Nearly a quarter (24%) of those who took Galop’s survey believe their attack was someone attempting to ‘convert’ them from or punish them for their LGBTQ+ identity.

Sexual violence has a profound effect on victims, with the vast majority (85%) stating that it had a negative impact on their mental health and 77% saying it damaged their intimate relationships.

“I feel like being raped robbed me of years, it meant I didn’t transition until now and I cannot put into words how angry that makes me,” one participant told the charity.

Amy Roch, Deputy CEO of Galop, said: “Despite needing help, many LGBT+ victims are reluctant to approach mainstream support services due to concerns about anti-LGBT+ discrimination, negative experiences with statutory services in the past, or the risk of being ‘outed’ in the process.

“These findings highlight a pressing need for preventative measures such as proper education about LGBT+ identities and consent for the young people in our society, as well as specialist LGBT+ support which is genuinely accessible for these survivors so they feel confident in coming forward.

“We need to ensure that all sexual violence victims receive a fair and equal response, whoever they are.”

Galop is an LGBTQ+ charity there for those who have experienced abuse or have been the victim of a hate crime. They can be contacted Monday to Friday from 10am-4pm on 0207 7042040 or at HateCrime@galop.org.uk. You can find out more about them here.