PHOTO: GETTY IMAGESGay, 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 LGBTQI communities are more likely to experience crime, but also less likely to report it. On average, 16 percent of New Zealanders are likely to experience intimate partner violence at some point in their life, while 24 percent will experience sexual violence. "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. Schwalger urged victims of crimes to come forward, and insisted there will be no judgement or stigma from officers dealing with lesbian, gay or bisexual victims.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 14, 2021 19:18 UTC