The phenomenon of violence and discrimination against LGBT + people on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or sexual characteristics (SOGIESC) is largely underrepresented in official statistics. Despite the high rates of discrimination and violence detected, the Fundamental Rights Agency's European survey on the victimization of LGBT people has in fact highlighted a significant reluctance to report due both to mistrust in the institutional response and to the fear of suffering further forms of discrimination and violence by of the authorities, due to the nature of the violence suffered and consequently the need to reveal one's identity.
Among the consequences of such discrimination, research carried out internationally highlights the over-representation of LGBT + young people among homeless people compared to hetero-cisgender people: for this part of the population the probability of suffering from substance use, health problems rises significantly. mental health, poverty, prostitution and the risk of suffering violence from peers and institutions. This is all the more true for transgender people, whose experience is more often marked by the intersection of poverty, marginalization, sexism and racism from a young age, producing the "gender entrapment"; as a result of which they are forced, both for economic reasons and for psychological survival, to enter the illegal prostitution and drug markets. For these subjects, shelters and shelters are often inaccessible places, also due to the heteronormative and cis-normative attitudes of the staff present.
The most recent literature and the recommendations of international human rights bodies underline the importance of implementing specialized services for LGBT + people with
personnel with adequate specialized training and cultural skills capable of addressing the specificities of LGBT + victims. Participatory research in this field, carried out at an international level, demonstrates the importance of the knowledge and experience gained by LGBT communities in dealing with
the effects of violence and discrimination based on SOGIESC, through self-help practices
and the creation of safe spaces of mutual solidarity (community safe approach).
In the Italian context, there is no exhaustive study on the intervention practices reserved for the support of
people who are victims of discrimination and violence based on SOGIESC. The project intends to fill this gap
through:
- analysis of scientific literature, international recommendations and guidelines e
on the subject of discrimination and violence based on SOGIESC and intervention practices a
victim support;
- the mapping of the existing hospitality structures at national level;
- the analysis of the characteristics, approaches and methods of intervention of the structures of
hospitality, as well as the needs emerging from the experience in the field, in order to highlight critical issues and points
strength of the reception system;
- sharing the results of the project within discussion tables with the managers of the
structures involved in the project and territorial and national stakeholders (policy makers, operators and
managers of general services);
- a dissemination activity aimed at LGBT + associations and professionals in various capacities
they work in the field of support for victims of violence. '