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Description
The project addresses the widespread problem of inadequate legal and psychological support for LGBT+ people who are subjected to various forms of abuse, exclusion, and stigmatization due to sexual orientation. The problem affects LGBT+ people of all ages. For example, research shows that 90% of young LGBT+ people have experienced verbal abuse at school, and 25% of adult LGBT+ people have been victimized due to sexual orientation. Many LGBT+ experience difficulties when dealing with the public health service or police due to lack of knowledge or due to prejudice on the part of people in those services. The project envisages psychological support for LGBT+ people and their families. The intended forms of aid include one-on-one psychological consultations - including intervention during a crisis, and support groups for LGBT+ people aged 16-26, for parents of LGBT+ people, and transexual people. Also under the project, legal aid will be provided free of charge during certain hours for non-heteronormative people who experience discrimination or abuse due to sexual orientation. Aid will be provided to people unable to afford legal services on the open market or who have difficulty obtaining help from experienced, open-minded lawyers. The scope of counselling available covers a range of matters: crime victims, family matters, insurance issues, medical issues, banking issues, and establishing gender. Psychological support will be provided for 150 LGBT+ people aged over 16, 100 people will receive legal advice, and 30 people will receive a full range of legal services in cases that need to be handled in multiple stages.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the lack of adequate legal and psychological assistance for LGBT+ people experiencing various forms of violence, exclusion and stigmatization due to psychosexual orientation and gender identity. Studies show that 90% of LGBT+ youth have been victims of verbal abuse at school, and 25% of LGBT+ adults have experienced victimization based on sexual orientation. Many of them have difficulties in dealing with health care or other institutions. The reasons for this can be traced to prejudice and insufficient knowledge about how to approach LGBT+ patients. Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia lead to the occurrence of so-called minority stress. Often, disclosure of psychosexual orientation or gender identity causes shame, guilt, anxiety and a feeling of isolation or internalized homophobia; self-esteem drops dramatically, anxiety disorders develop, mood disorders, emotional lability, irritability, depression, suicidal thoughts appear.
The project provided psychological support for LGBT+ people and their families, including psychological consultation, crisis intervention and support groups for various groups: young LGBT+ people aged 16-26, parents of LGBT+ people, and transgender and non-binary people. Free legal aid stands were also launched for LGBT+ people experiencing discrimination or violence based on psychosexual orientation. A total of 619 people benefited from psychological assistance, and 161 people benefited from legal support.
The project filled a gap in the lack of free psychological and legal support for LGBT+ people and their families living in Poznan and Poland. Thanks to the implemented activities, LGBT+ people received real emotional and psychological support, developed competencies to cope with health and life-threatening situations, and raised their self-esteem. They also received concrete legal support on issues of discrimination on the basis of psychosexual orientation or gender identity, in situations of violence, on issues related to transit, etc. The families of LGBT+ people have also been strengthened.