“An isolated place”: LGBT+ domestic abuse survivors’ access to support

Galop commissioned YouGov to conduct a survey of 2,042 LGBT+ people across the UK
about their experiences of being subjected to abuse, as well as their access to sources of support.

This report focuses on abuse perpetrated by a family member or a partner/ex-partner, and presents findings about the experiences and support needs of LGBT+ survivors of abuse within family or intimate relationships.

Key findings:

• Around 6 in 10 (61%) LGBT+ survivors did not seek support from services following a particular instance of abuse by a family member or a partner/ex-partner.
• Close to 4 in 10 (38%) LGBT+ survivors went without support from friends, family or other informal supports following an instance of abuse by a family member or a partner/ex-partner.
• Compared with those in the major queer cities (37%), LGBT+ survivors living in a village (54%) or any other city (50%) at the time of the abuse were more likely to report they did not know any supports were available.
• The vast majority (81%) of LGBT+ survivors of abuse by a family member or intimate partner experienced this abuse in places outside of the major queer cities — that is, in places in the UK where there are few or no specialist LGBT+ services.
• Of those who sought support (n=619), fewer than 20 LGBT+ support seekers received advocacy services (3%) after a particular experience of abuse by a family member or partner/ex-partner. However, nearly 9 times as many LGBT+ survivors reported wanting advocacy after the abuse.
• Trans, non-binary and gender-diverse+, and pan/queer survivors reported high levels of concern about being mistreated by services or that services may not understand their identities.