Identification of service gaps for people of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status
Responsible government
- Commonwealth
Fourth Action Plan actions
- Respect, listen and respond to the diverse lived experience and knowledge of women and their children affected by violence
- 11 Deliver policies and services to address the disproportionate impact of violence on particular groups.
- Improve support and service system responses
- 19 Build the evidence base to inform responses to domestic, family and sexual violence by strengthening the focus on what works to reduce violence, improving data and supporting the Fourth Action Plan priorities.
What are we doing?
The Commonwealth Government is working to identify gaps in the coordination and capability of supports for people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status affected by violence.
This includes:
- conducting research and consultations with LGBTIQA+ communities and organisations representing those communities
- working with people of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status and LGBTIQA+ organisations to identify how family, domestic and sexual violence services can support people appropriately
- assessing the services available for LGBTIQA+ people and work with mainstream and specialist services in the sector to identify service gaps
- developing guidance material for service providers on how to evaluate and improve their existing services.
- The Commonwealth Government will provide funding between2020 – 2021 and 2021–22 to support this initiative.
- The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Societies at La Trobe University has been engaged to build the evidence base into the availability and quality of services for LGBTIQA+ people who are experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence.
What is next?
- Key stakeholders and LGBTIQA+ people have been consulted to understand the needs and experiences of LGBTIQA+ people accessing family, domestic and sexual violence services. The findings of these consultations will be used to identify how family, domestic and sexual violence services can appropriately support people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status.
- Case studies of promising practice in FDSV service provision, based on the outcomes of the consultations, will be delivered in February 2022.
- Guidance material will also be developed to improve frontline services and overall client experience and this material is expected to be available by July 2022.
What difference will we make?
This initiative is intended to contribute to the long-term outcome of reducing service gaps and barriers for people of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status accessing support for domestic, family and sexual violence.