Mental Health group beyondblue has called for more public anti-discrimination campaigns following the assault of two gay men in Perth on New Year’s Day.

The CEO Kate Carnell (pictured) has called for more education and campaigns in the community about discrimination. Carnell highlighted that this sort of discrimination and violence can badly damage people’s mental well being.

“Attacks like this, and indeed any form of discrimination, can do untold harm to people’s mental health,” she said.

“But some people still do not understand the damage their behaviour can have, or that their behaviour can cost lives.

“Any form of discrimination is absolutely unacceptable. Discrimination can lead to stress, which in turn can lead to depression and anxiety.”

Carnell said that the organisation’s research shows that LGBTI people ensure a much higher level of physical and verbal abuse than other members of society. Discrimination and abuse is one of the reasons that LGBTI population have significantly higher levels of anxiety and suicide.

Carnell highlighted the report ‘Private Lives 2’ which showed that, over the past year, more than a quarter of the LGBTI people surveyed had endured verbal abuse, nearly one in 10 had been the victim of threatened or actual physical violence without a weapon and about one in 50 had been attacked with a weapon such as a knife or stones.

OIP Staff

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