While many people look to the start of the new year in anticipation of new beginnings, T&T’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community continues to be faced with troubling issues”, Friends For Life (FFL) said.
The group, which has offered friendship, support and counselling to LGBTQI persons in the country for the past 20 years, published an advertisement yesterday highlighting the findings of a research project it held between May to September.
A steering committee was established with five members of the LGBTQI community who guided development of research questions, methodology and analysis of the data with two university-based researchers providing technical support during the process. The study used a combination of methods to collect data including an online survey and journalling by ten LGBTQI individuals.
FFL said: “The findings showed that the LGBTQI in Trinidad and Tobago experience many forms of human rights violations, including denial to the right to security of person, discrimination in accessing and maintaining economic and social rights such as employment, education, health and housing, and experiences of trauma from emotional and physical abuse perpetrated by both community and family members.”
All of the survey’s respondents said they, or persons close to them, were victims of violence on at least one occasion, including being raped, robbed and physically abused.
Apart from this violence the LGBTQI community also faces difficulties when it comes to housing, FFL said.
“The policies of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is silent on the LGBTQI access to low-cost or government subsidized housing. However, there seems to be an institutionalised barrier since the study’s findings show that it is significantly more difficult for same-sex couples to submit and have an approval since the process privileges married heterosexual couples.”
“Also, there is no protection from landlords’ discrimination against LGBTQI who attempt to rent or are renting,” the group said.
FFL said the study moves beyond anecdotal evidence to show patterns of structural and cultural barriers which continue to plague LGBTQI’s enjoyment of rights and protections in T&T.