New research from Curtin University has found LGBTIQA+ individuals who are victims of intimate partner violence face significant barriers when seeking help in Western Australia.

The research was commissioned by Perth-based WAAC, a non-profit organisation providing support services to LGBTIQA+ individuals across the state.

Co-investigator Dr Jack Farrugia says he hopes the Safer Options study strengthens the ability of primary care providers to respond to LGBTIQA+ individuals who report experiences of IPV.

“Intimate partner violence is commonly known as family and domestic violence and in particular refers to violence that has been caused by a partner,” he says.

“That can be somebody who you are or have been in a relationship with, or have been intimate with, that has used violence against you.”

Dr Farrugia says there is a common misconception that IPV is only physical but says the term does include other forms of abuse such as verbal, emotional or sexual.

As part of the study, the researchers conducted a state-wide survey of LGBTIQA+ individuals and held interviews and focus groups with both members of the queer community and primary care providers.

Of the 523 participants surveyed, Dr Farrugia says more than 50 per cent reported experiencing IPV.

“Out of these participants, 24 per cent had experienced IPV in more than one relationship. Out of the total participants that had experienced IPV, 48 per cent did not seek support,” he says.

“Some of our participants had a lot of negative experiences with service providers who didn’t understand the more foundational topics of LGBTIQA+ experiences.”

Dr Jack Farrugia

Dr Farrugia says that for this to change, primary care providers should use inclusive resources such as posters and brochures displaying different relationship structures and engage in education across the entire service.

“Amending law and policy and the criteria for service access is very important when it comes to dismantling those exclusionary service practices,” he says.

WAAC CEO Dr Daniel Vujcich says a lot of people experience shame or worry that disclosing their sexuality to a primary care provider will result in stigma.

“The data suggests that many LGBTIQA+ people experiencing IPV don’t know what safe supports are available, or fear that their experiences will not be recognised or taken seriously because they are LGBTIQA+,” he says.

Dr Vujcich says while IPV affects all communities, LGBTIQA+ people can face unique barriers when it comes to accessing safe, affirming and non-judgemental services that understand their needs.

He agrees that primary care providers need to do more to create a safe space for LGBTIQA+ clients to disclose abuse and feels this should extend to society overall.

“As a society, we also need to be better about breaking down stereotypical assumptions we might have about IPV and recognise that it affects all communities, albeit in a diverse range of ways, and that one-size-fits-all approaches are not sufficient,” says Dr Vujcich.

For more than 20 years, Cliff Moorese has been closely involved with Country Network, which supports male-identifying members of the LGBTIQA+ community.

He says making connections in the gay community can be difficult, particularly for those who are living in rural country areas.

Mr Moorese agrees that care services tailored to people in the queer community are an important step to helping people feel less isolated by their sexuality.

“Particularly in medical services, people are more likely to reveal things that they wouldn’t normally do to a person that they don’t know well, so tailored services are a good thing,” he says.