Largest ever survey of LGBT people is published by Government

Today the Government has published the largest ever survey of LGBT people.  The survey was launched in July 2017 to gather more information about the lives and experiences of LGBT people in the UK and over 108,000 people participated.

The main headline findings were:-

• LGBT respondents are less satisfied with their life than the general UK population (rating satisfaction 6.5 on average out of 10 compared with 7.7). Trans respondents had particularly low scores (around 5.4 out of 10)
• More than two thirds of LGBT respondents said they had avoided holding hands with a same-sex partner for fear of a negative reaction from others
• At least 2 in 5 respondents had experienced an incident because they were LGBT, such as verbal harassment or physical violence, in the 12 months preceding the survey. However, more than 9 in 10 of the most serious incidents went unreported, often because respondents thought ‘it happens all the time’
• 2% of respondents had undergone conversion or reparative therapy in an attempt to ‘cure’ them of being LGBT, and a further 5% had been offered it
• 24% of respondents had accessed mental health services in the 12 months preceding the survey

In response to the survey, the Government has launched a new action plan designed to act upon the findings of the survey and work to reduce the barriers faced by LGBT people.  Click on the link above to access the report.  

The new action plan will be discussed at the next County Hate Crime Group in July by Partners in Warwickshire to look at ways in which we can address the actions raised locally.