Survey reveals higher risk of sexual violence
WELLINGTON - Gay, lesbian or bisexual people are more than twice as likely to suffer from sexual violence or family harm than the average New Zealander.
The Ministry of Justice figures from the Crime and Victims Survey shows gay, lesbian or bisexual people are more likely to experience crime, but also less likely to report it.
The justice sector is trying to address the numbers, and said having concrete data is a good place to start.
On average, 16 per cent of New Zealanders are likely to experience intimate partner violence at some point in their life, while 24 per cent will experience sexual violence.
Lesbian or gay people are more than twice as likely to have experienced that kind of violence, and bisexual adults are almost three times as likely to suffer from sexual violence as the average New Zealander.
Tim Hampton, deputy secretary at the Ministry of Justice, said the survey has put a concrete number on the harm caused to those communities.
“These groups are 50 per cent more likely to become victims of crime, and more concerningly, the survey showed that two-thirds of bisexual adults had been victims of sexual violence at some stage of their lifetime.
“That compares to a quarter for all New Zealanders, and 52 percent for gay or lesbian adults.”
Mr Hampton said the survey helps officials to understand what sort of support communities need.
He said crime has a huge financial cost, which is why it is so important to improve the outcomes for those communities.
“It’s into the billions of dollars every year that just family violence and sexual violence alone is costing the economy and costing the people here.
“From the financial side the need for investment is there, and hence the $200 million investment the government put in BudgetR20N.”Z