According to a new survey, gay, lesbian and bisexual Kiwis are more than twice as likely than the national average to experience sexual violence or be harmed by family members.
Figures released yesterday have revealed some shocking statistics for the same-sex attracted Kiwis.
The Ministry of Justice released the results from the Crime and Victims Survey which found lesbian, gay and bisexual Kiwis are twice as likely to experience sexual violence or be harmed by family members and are also less likely to report offending against them to the police.
Ministry of Justice deputy secretary Tim Hampton said the survey results showed “the disproportionate level of victimisation for the LGB+ community”.
“There are many vulnerable communities that need our focus and support when it comes to crime and victimisation, and the LGB+ community is certainly one of them,” he said.
The survey, based on data from 16,000 adults collected between March 2018 and September 2019, found 41 per cent of lesbian or gay adults and 47 per cent of bisexual adults experienced crime in a 12-month period.
The national average is 30 per cent.
The independent Chief Victims Advisor to the Government, Dr Kim McGregor, said she was “particularly pleased” to see research into the issue of family harm and sexual violence for lesbian, gay and bisexual kiwis has been conducted and that the data would give the Government the evidence it needed to more specifically target its response for same-sex attracted New Zealanders.
McGregor says the ball is now in the government’s court to take action.
“Now, it’s up to Government to partner with the rainbow community to come up with tailored responses and strategies to co-design solutions,” McGregor said.
“We’ve needed this research for a long time because we’ve heard from the rainbow community over decades that they have been aware of intimate partner violence, sexual violence at very high levels,” McGregor says.
“Now we have the evidence so that the Government can target their responses to the violence that we have heard about.”
