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Description
This project addresses the problem of discrimination and violence towards LGBT + people. LGBT+ people have been the target of a hate campaign and an increasing number of homophobia-motivated attacks for a number of years. Dehumanising language is resulting in verbal and physical abuse. Attacks that occurred during the 2019 Białystok gay pride march or during unrest at protests to defend a Stop Bzdurom activist in 2020 are just two examples. More than 2/3 of LGBT+ people are subjected to mental and physical abuse, while almost 60% do not trust the police, and this results in a low rate of reporting of violent acts. Poland is the most homophobic country in the EU, due to both a lack of laws to counter discrimination, and unequal rights regarding marriage and partnership, but most of all due to a policy of oppression, i.e. attempts to ban gay pride marches, and also LGBT-free zones created by local councils. On one hand, all of this leads to social radicalisation, while on the other it makes life increasingly hard for LGBT+ people, causing a growing feeling of danger and vilification, and an increase in the rate of depression.In the project, Lambda will provide short-term and long-term psychological support, intervention in emergencies, and legal support for LGBT+ people who experience violence and discrimination. Assistance will be provided in Warsaw in a permanent service and at all gay pride marches held in Poland. The Project Promoter will also conduct a campaign on the support available and a public campaign on ten billboards promoting rights of LGBT+ people. The final element of the project will be a report summarising the psychological and legal aid provided.The project will primarily benefit LGBT+ people (approximately 300 people), who will receive professional help in dealing with minority stress, depression, and discrimination. LGBT+ people will also have a more visible profile.
Summary of project results
The project addresses the issue of discrimination and violence against LGBT+ people. Poland is a homophobic leader in Europe, not only because of the lack of anti-discrimination legislation, marriage equality or civil partnerships, but also because of hate crimes and hate speech. Events in recent years, such as the attacks on equality marches in Bialystok or Lublin, local government resolutions introducing so-called ''LGBT+ free zones'', the homophobic riots on Krakowskie Przedmieście in Warsaw in August 2020, or the hate campaign during the presidential election, have radically increased the sense of threat and honour towards the LGBT+ community. The dehumanising language used against people in this group is translated into verbal and physical violence. More than two-thirds of non-heteronormative people experience psychological and physical violence (report ''Social situation of LGBTA people in Poland'', 2016). Almost 60% of respondents do not trust the police, which translates into very low reporting of violence.
The project focused on intervention activities - providing short and long-term psychological support and legal counselling for people experiencing human rights violations, discrimination and violence based on psychosexual orientation and gender identity. Psychological counselling was provided out according to a ''stepped care'' model - from information through crisis intervention to therapy. Activities carried out stationary in Warsaw, with the possibility of online meetings. Two editions of a billboard campaign were conducted in Płock, Radom, Ciechanów, Ostrołęka and Siedlce. Billboards informed about the assistance offered by Project Promoter.
Those who experienced discrimination and violence because of their psychosexual orientation and gender identity received specific intervention support - psychological and legal - and long-term support (therapy). A total of 364 people received support. An important - less quantifiable - outcome was the reduction of minority stress and feelings of insecurity among the LGBT+ community.