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Homophobic and HIV-Related Abuse and Discrimination Experienced by Gay and Homosexually Active Men in an Australian National Sample

NCJ Number
174243
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 31 Issue: 2 Dated: August 1998 Pages: 141-159
Author(s)
P Van de Ven; S Kippax; J Crawford; K Race; P Rodden
Date Published
1998
Length
19 pages
Annotation
To determine the extent of abuse and discrimination experienced by gay and homosexually active men in Australia, data from a national telephone survey, Project Male Call '96, were examined.
Abstract
In all, 3,039 men who ranged in age from 14 to 82 years old (median 33 years old) participated in the survey. For the 12 months prior to the interviews, 422 (13.9 percent) reported HIV-related abuse, and 1,184 (39.0 percent) reported homophobic abuse. The abuse and discrimination measured encompassed verbal abuse or harassment, physical threat or intimidation, being pushed or shoved, being refused service, and being "bashed." Altogether, 1,233 (40.6 percent) had experienced either or both types of abuse, and it was usually at the hands of more than one perpetrator. Depending on the form it took, experience of abuse was associated with younger age, tertiary education, being in other than manual occupations, gay community attachment, having only male sex partners, HIV positivity, where the men went to look for male sex partners, and wide disclosure of sexual orientation. Whereas there were differences between the States and Territories in the prevalence of discrimination, the differences were not statistically significant. The study concludes that homophobic and HIV-related abuse and discrimination are nationwide problems in Australia. 5 tables, 11 notes, and 46 references