Prevalence and perpetration contexts of sexual violence among cisgender LGBQ+ adults in Australia

This article analyses the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of sexual violence victimisation in a sample of 5,267 cisgender lesbian, gay, bi/pansexual, queer or other non-heterosexual participants in Australia. The study explores three research questions in relation to cisgender LGBQ+ respondents: (1) the prevalence of sexual violence among respondents and differences by gender and sexuality; (2) the gender of perpetrators of sexual violence against respondents and variations by respondent gender and sexuality; and (3) the relationship contexts in which sexual violence occurred for respondents and differences by gender and sexuality. Data was collected from a cross-sectional, Australia-wide online survey of LGBTQ+ health and well-being. The findings demonstrate significant disparities in sexual assault experiences across gender and sexual identity groups, with queer and plurisexual individuals reporting the highest rates. We also identify distinct patterns in perpetrator gender and relationship contexts, emphasising the importance of disaggregating data by gender and sexual identity. We find that the gendered dimensions of sexual violence are co-constituted by sexual identity and relational contexts for cisgender LGBQ+ participants. These findings underscore the need for tailored research, policy responses and support services that address the needs and experiences of diverse LGBQ+ groups, moving beyond homogeneous assumptions about sexual violence in LGBQ+ communities.