Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Fear, isolation and discrimination common in Europe’s LGBT community

  • 22-05-2013 7:40am
    #1
    chris2008x
    Closed Accounts Posts: 343 ✭✭


    The EU’s largest LGBT hate crime and discrimination survey ever conducted (over 93,000) shows that many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people cannot be themselves in their daily lives. Many hide their identity and live in isolation or even fear. Others experience discrimination, and even violence, when being themselves.


    While Ireland comes in at the EU average for those LGBT people who have felt discriminated against (47%), Irish school students who have hidden their sexual orientation is above average at 72% (EU average 67%). Ireland fares better in the workplace, where discrimination was felt by just 18% of respondents, below the EU average of 20%.

    Feelings of being discriminated against in general were lowest in the Netherlands (30%) and highest in Lithuania (61%). Scroll down for some Irish figures at a glance or click on this link to see the survey results and simple graphs.

    The survey was carried out by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). The results underline the need to promote and protect fundamental rights for LGBT people so they too can live their lives with dignity.

    “Everyone should feel free to be themselves at home, work, at school and in public – but clearly, LGBT people often don’t. Results from FRA’s survey show that fear, isolation and discrimination are common in Europe’s LGBT community,” says FRA Director Morten Kjaerum. “We need EU-wide action to break down the barriers, eliminate the hate and create a society where everyone can fully enjoy their rights, no matter what their sexual orientation or gender identity is.”

    Some of the difficulties many LGBT people face include:

    Schooling: 2 out of 3 LGBT respondents were hiding or disguising being LGBT at school. At least 60% personally experienced negative comments or conduct at school because they were LGBT while over 80% in every EU Member State recall negative comments or bullying of LGBT youth at school. Therefore, Member States need to ensure LGBT students feel safe at school as this is where negative LGBT experiences, societal prejudices and exclusion often begin. This could include LGBT awareness campaigns for teachers and pupils and policies against homophobic bullying.

    Work: 19% of respondents felt discriminated against at work or when looking for a job, despite legal protection under EU law. This underlines the need for EU-wide action to counter the many obstacles LGBT people face to their basic rights in their everyday life.

    Fear: 26% of LGBT people who answered the survey had been attacked or threatened with violence in the last five years. 66% of respondents across all EU Member States were scared of holding hands in public with a same-sex partner. For gay and bisexual men respondents it was about 75%. This shows that LGBT victims need recognition and protection EU-wide and nationally to counter harassment and hate crime that results in LGBT people living in fear. This could include police training and victim support services as well as laws against hate speech and hate crime.

    The survey also reveals that transgender people are the most affected among LGBT respondents to have personally felt discriminated against, particularly in employment and healthcare. About 30% said they were victims of violence or threats of violence more than three times in the year before the survey.

    High levels of under-reporting of instances of discrimination and hate crime were also detected. This is despite 56% of respondents being aware of laws against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. Half of all victims of violence and harassment felt that the police would do nothing. This pattern is not unique to the LGBT group researched. FRA found such under-reporting also in other groups, for instance, among members of ethnic minorities (See FRA hate crime reports, 2012).

    The survey asked LGBT people whether they had experienced discrimination, violence, verbal abuse or hate speech on the grounds of their sexual orientation or gender identity. They were also asked to identify where such incidents took place, such as at school, work, when seeking healthcare or in public places.

    The analysis of the survey findings are contained in two reports. They will feed into discussions in the EU and Member States on legislation and policies to improve the situation for LGBT people.

    Some figures at a glance:

    Respondents who felt discriminated against or harassed in the last 12 months on the grounds of sexual orientation: Ireland 47% (EU average also 47% - Netherlands lowest at 30% and Lithuania highest at 61%).

    Respondents who felt discriminated against in the last 12 months when looking for a job and/or at work because of being LGBT: Ireland at 18% below EU average of 20%. Discrimination lowest in Denmark at 11% and highest in Cyprus at 30% followed by Latvia and Lithuania both at 27%.

    Respondents who felt discriminated against in the last 12 months in areas other than employment because of being LGBT: Ireland at 35% above EU average of 32%. Levels of discrimination lowest in the Netherlands at 20% and highest in Lithuania at 42%. This includes looking for a house or apartment and/or accessing healthcare services and/or attending school or university themselves or were the parent of a child at school or university and/or visiting a café, restaurant bar or nightclub and/or visiting a shop and/or visiting a bank or insurance company and/or exercising at a sport or fitness club in the last 12 months.

    Respondents who had heard negative comments or seen negative conduct because a schoolmate was perceived to be LGBT during their schooling before the age of 18: Ireland at 93% was above the EU average of 91%. Latvia and Czech Republic lowest at 83% and Cyprus highest at 97%.

    Respondents who had “always” or “often” hidden or disguised being LGBT during their schooling before the age of 18: Ireland at 72% was above the EU average of 67%. Numbers lowest in the Czech Republic at 57% and highest in Lithuania at 81%.

    Further information

    EU LGBT Survey results: at a glance, which breaks down the key findings with simple graphs. http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu-lgbt-survey-results-at-a-glance_en.pdf
    Media Memo: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/memo-fra-s-eu-lgbt-survey_en.pdf
    Questions & Answers on the survey methodology: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu-lgbt-survey-methodology-q-and-a_en.pdf
    Infographic on survey results: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_images/eu-lgbt-survey-infographic_en.jpg

    http://ec.europa.eu/ireland/press_office/news_of_the_day/eu-survey-lgbt-discrimination_en.htm


Comments

Advertisement