There are a range of forms of family violence which are unique to the LGBTI community. These include, but are not limited to:

• threatening to out, or ‘outing’ a partner or family member to family, friends or colleagues;
• using homophobia as a tool of control, for example by telling a partner that they will lose custody of children, be unable to access police assistance, or support from service delivery organisations, because the ‘system’ is homophobic;
• telling a partner or family member they ‘deserve it’ because they are LGBTI or that they are not a ‘real’ lesbian, gay or bisexual person and relying on stereotypes to hide or justify abuse; and
•  threatening to or revealing HIV status or withdrawing care, where one partner or family member is dependent, for example arising from their HIV/AIDS status.

Please visit Australian Law Reform Commission www.alrc.gov.au/CFV-LGBTI