Page 2084 - Week 07 - Thursday, 24 June 2021
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allies to work together, build bridges and speak in a common voice through national and regional conferences and training events.
While I was there, I took in a range of different presentations. The one that I was sure to take part in was hosted by the director of the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation, Mr Ben Bjarnesen, who spoke to the conference on a range of family and domestic violence issues pertinent particularly to sexuality and gender-diverse Australians.
Some stark figures became clear through that presentation. Although data is limited, available evidence indicates that over 60 per cent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people have experienced domestic or family violence. That is about three in five who have experienced it in past or present relationships. The chance that you or someone you know has been or is in an abusive relationship is staggeringly high.
This was particularly important for me to reflect on in my capacity as the ACT Greens spokesperson for the elimination of family and domestic violence and where that overlaps with my spokesperson responsibilities on LGBTQIA+ people.
I was really grateful to receive a letter last week from Minister Berry inviting me to contribute to the government’s reform work in this space, inviting me to present to the workshops and working groups on an issue of interest to me. I will be continuing to work with the minister’s office and the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation to ensure that the unique and specific instances of DV and family violence experienced by LGBTQI+ people inform that work.
It is quite shocking and surprising to think about all the different ways that domestic and family violence in same sex attracted relationships can uniquely affect those relationships in a way they do not inform heteronormative or cisgendered couples in particular.
It was stark to hear that the number one threat of violence used against intimate partners in same sex attracted relationships was the threat of outing the partner to family, friends or colleagues and the implications that that would have on people’s interpersonal relationships, jobs or relationships with their community. That is an important contribution that I hope to make to the work.
What was really clear to me, though, was the overarching theme of the entire conference in identifying risks and opportunities for sexuality and gender-diverse Australians in our ongoing advocacy. It was clear that one issue that underpinned all of the conference delegates’ contributions—that underpinned a level of anxiety felt by all participants right across the country—was the continued threats to the sexuality and gender-diverse community by this federal government, in particular by their continued prosecution of the religious discrimination bill.
This federal bill makes it harder for health sector employees and professional bodies to ensure that doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and psychologists do not refuse treatment to people on religious grounds. The bill removes discrimination protections
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