To find services or supports you are comfortable with, please visit the helplines and support services page – use a friend’s phone if you think yours is being monitored.
The acronym LGBTQIA+ includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other diverse gender and sexual identities.
Family and domestic violence can impact any relationship, regardless of identity. If you identify as LGBTQIA+ your experiences could be unique.
Violence in LGBTQIA+ relationships may involve tactics specific to your relationship or identity. Remember, the violence is never your fault and you deserve to live a life free from fear.
If you’re concerned about family and domestic violence in LGBTQIA+ relationships, explore available resources and support options to find the help you need.
Recognising if you are experiencing family and domestic violence
Family and domestic violence doesn't have to be physical abuse. It is behaviours that are used to coerce, control or create fear for another person, within a family or intimate relationship. Family and domestic violence is often a pattern of different abusive behaviours, that a person uses over time, to control and harm someone, and it usually includes coercive control.
Family and domestic violence can happen to anyone, and it is never the victim-survivors fault.
Some of the family and domestic violence experiences associated with sexuality or gender identity may include:
- Isolating you from your LGBTQIA+ community and preventing you from attending events or venues.
- Changing your behaviour or your appearance such as being more “male” or “female” to avoid upsetting your partner.
- Threatening to ‘out’ your sexuality, gender or intersex status to your friends, family or workplace.
- Threatening to 'out' your health status (such as HIV status).
- Pressuring you to undergo surgery to alter your sex organs or physical appearance.
- Rejecting you from family and community due to your sexuality or gender.
- Forcing you into conversion therapy.
- Forcing you into sexual acts and sexually assaulting you because of your sexual orientation.
- Stopping you from taking your medication, including hormones.
These are just some of the many signs. Find out more about recognising if you or someone you care about is experiencing family and domestic violence.
How to recognise family and domestic violence
If you are experiencing family and domestic violence, know that the abuse is never your fault. Help is available and you are not alone. Scroll down to read our help and support section.
Increased risk and challenges
The lack of information about intimate partner violence in diverse relationships creates barriers to accessing services. Additionally, assumptions about gender and sexuality contribute to challenges in getting services right.
The unique barriers you may face as someone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ can include:
- Fear of discrimination or being dismissed by police, legal systems, and service providers.
- Fear of a lack of confidentiality or being isolated from LGBTQIA+ communities.
- Fear of not being believed.
- Rejection from family and religious groups.
- Fear of not having access to safe and LGBTQIA+ affirming support.
- Not recognising if you’re experiencing family and domestic violence, especially if it’s not physical.
- Heterosexism: the belief that heterosexuality is the "normal" way of being, viewing those who do not identify as heterosexual as abnormal or unnatural.
- Homophobia, transphobia and other gender-based phobias: prejudice, discrimination or violence against LGBTQIA+ people.
- Cisgenderism: the assumption that a person's gender is determined and fixed at birth based on their biological sex. This view treats other gender identities as abnormal or wrong, or refuses to acknowledge their existence.
These factors may increase your fear of speaking out about the violence you experience.
It’s important to remember that you are not alone. You are not to blame, and there is help available if you are experiencing family and domestic violence.
What you can do
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call the police now on 000.
If you are experiencing family and domestic violence here’s what you can do:
Talk to someone
Speaking to someone about your experience is brave and also difficult to do. Try reaching out to someone you trust. This could be a friend, family member, co-worker or doctor.
Get help from a support service
There are free and confidential helplines available. If you suspect your phone is being tracked or monitored, it might be safer to make calls from a friend’s phone.
Living Proud: aims to promote the wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse people in Western Australia. Phone: (08) 9486 9855.
QLife Webchat: provides anonymous and free LGBTQIA+ peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about sexuality, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships. Phone 1800 184 527.
Say it Out Loud: site has helpful articles about healthy and unhealthy relationships in the LGBTQIA+ community.
1800RESPECT: a national sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service. Phone: 1800 737 732.
Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline: provides support for women, with or without children, who are experiencing family and domestic violence in Western Australia (including referrals to women’s refuges). Phone: 1800 007 339. *This helpline is operated by Department of Communities, and your call will be answered by a child protection worker. We are here to help.
Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline: provides telephone information and referrals for men who are concerned about their violent and abusive behaviours, and for male victims of family and domestic violence in Western Australia. Phone: 1800 000 599. *This helpline is operated by Department of Communities, and your call will be answered by a child protection worker. We are here to help.
Kids Helpline: provides free support and counselling (talking through problems) to people aged 5-25. Phone: 1800 551 800
Concern for a child's wellbeing: If you are concerned about a child's wellbeing, please contact the Department of Communities Child Protection Central Intake Team on 1800 273 889. If you are calling outside of business hours, Crisis Care is available on 1800 199 008 and provides Western Australia’s after-hours response to reported concerns for a child’s safety and wellbeing and information and referrals for people experiencing crisis. For more information about child protection, please visit Child protection.
Find more support here:
Family and domestic violence helplines and support services
Plan your safety
A safety plan involves thinking about how to stay safe while in a relationship with a violent person, or planning how to leave the relationship. Read about the steps you can take to stay as safe as possible:
Apply for a Family Violence Restraining Order (FVRO)
You may choose to apply for a Family Violence Restraining Order (FVRO) to stop someone from using violence against you or your children. The order can include various conditions based on your situation.
For more information on FVRO and how to apply, visit:
Report to WA Police
If you have been assaulted, sexually assaulted, threatened, stalked, or experienced property damage or theft, it is important to report these incidents to the police. The WA Police Force support and promote the reporting of crime committed against people who identify with the diverse sexuality and/or gender (DSG) community.
Visit your local station, call 131 444 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Statistics on LGBTQIA+ family and domestic violence
The impact of family and domestic violence can have deep and long-lasting effects. If you identify as an LGBTQIA+ person and you have, or are, experiencing family and domestic violence, you are not alone. Find out more on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website.
