Victorians are being encouraged to celebrate their LGBTIQ+ family members and call out harmful stereotypes and discrimination in a powerful new Respect Victoria awareness campaign.
Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Gabrielle Williams said the Respect Victoria campaign, Pride, Respect, Equality, highlighted the importance of family support in the prevention of family violence and abuse against LGBTIQ+ people.
“It’s on every one of us to end violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people,” Ms Williams said
“We must work together as a community to call out homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, and any other forms of discrimination that can lead to family violence – because we all deserve to feel safe,” she said.
Ms Williams said the campaign was a call to action for everyone with LGBTIQ+ loved ones and included real-life stories of Victorian families who loved, respected and supported each other.
“In Australia, more than six in 10 LGBTIQ+ people will have experienced family violence, with perpetrators most likely to be parents or siblings,” she said.
“LGBTIQ+ communities can face additional forms of family violence or discrimination – including rejection from family, purposely misgendering or deadnaming a person, refusing access to gender-affirming medication, and faith or religious-motivated abuse.”
She said the Respect Victoria campaign would run on metropolitan and regional television, radio, and press, as well as digital and social channels.
“It will also run in Italian, Greek, Hindi, and Punjabi on radio,” Ms Williams said.
