Project will build capacity among health and social services professionals in Quebec to support the LGBTQ2 community
Project will build capacity among health and social services professionals in Quebec to support the LGBTQ2 community
OTTAWA, July 31, 2019 /CNW/ - Gender-based violence has a disproportionate impact on LGBTQ2 people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and two-spirit). Based on self-reported data, people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual are two to three times more likely to experience violent victimization than heterosexuals. In addition, there is some evidence that transgender people experience intimate partner violence at almost twice the rate of cis-gender people.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, announced more than $600,000 to support Université Laval’s Violence in intimate partner relationships among LGBTQ2+ populations: document the phenomenon to better equip health and social service professionals project. The project aims to increase the understanding of intimate partner violence and its impacts within Quebec’s LGBTQ2 community, and to better equip health and social service professionals to respond to it.
Project leads will conduct in-depth interviews with LGBTQ2 victims of intimate partner violence to document their experiences. Through collaborations with researchers, partners offering services to the LGBTQ2 community, as well as other collaborators, these documented experiences will support the development of interventions to prevent violence and support victims. This work will include tailored resources and training to equip health and social service professionals to adequately support and meet the needs of the LGBTQ2 community.
Areas of focus will include violence prevention, how to recognize intimate partner violence, and strategies to enhance safety.
Quotes
“LGBTQ2 Canadians continue to face inequalities and unique challenges, which all too often include gender-based and intimate partner violence. By supporting projects such as Université Laval’s Violence in intimate partner relationships among LGBTQ2+ populations, we hope to better understand these challenges and learn from the perspectives and first-hand experiences of survivors. This important work will help to increase capacity to meet the needs of LGBTQ2 communities and get closer to our goal of ending all gender-based and intimate partner violence in Canada.”
The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
“For far too long, LGBTQ2 people have suffered staggering and unacceptable discrimination and violence, even within their own homes. Our government is investing in projects like this one with Université Laval to ensure that there are secure, informed and accessible support services for LGBTQ2 survivors of intimate partner and gender-based violence, so they can live freely and safely in Quebec and across Canada.”
The Honourable Maryam Monsef
Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality
“Violence in intimate and personal relationships among the LGBTQ2+ community is still misunderstood and ill-documented. Yet the needs for those who are victimized by it have never been more alarming. Thanks to the partnership between the research team for Violence in intimate partner relationships among LGBTQ2+ populations: document the phenomenon to better equip health and social service, the research Chair on homophobia at UQAM and partners at REZO, Centre de solidarité lesbienne et le Conseil québécois LGBT, this research will help develop crucial knowledge, which will allow for better tailoring of services and give the proper tools to health care and social workers.”
Valérie Roy, Senior researcher
École de travail social et de criminologie, Université Laval
Quick Facts
- Funding for this project is provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada as part of Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence.
- Violence against women, girls, and LGBTQ2 communities is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations around the world.
- Globally, it is estimated that one in three women experiences intimate partner violence in her lifetime.
- In more than 70 countries, laws that criminalize LGBTQ2 people perpetuate gender‑based violence against members of these communities.
- In Canada, nearly half of people aged 15 and older who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual report having experienced childhood physical or sexual abuse, compared to 30% of heterosexual people.
- In June 2019, Canada hosted the Women Deliver Conference, the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights and wellbeing of girls and women.
Associated Links
Government of Canada Announces Funding to Help End Gender-Based Violence in LGBTQ2 Communities
Government of Canada supports LGBTQ2 survivors of gender-based violence in Saskatoon
SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada
