We are strengthening laws with an equity lens to protect more Victorians from vilification and create safe and inclusive communities.
Our second year of the strategy has delivered actions that support Victorians to have equal rights and live wholly and freely. We have delivered justice services for LGBTIQA+ communities, supported survivors of conversion or suppression practices and improved police responses to LGBTIQA+ communities.
We are implementing law reforms and upholding human rights and freedoms
- We supported survivors of conversion or suppression practices and responded to the trauma caused by these practices through the Civil Response Scheme and education and prevention program delivered by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. This Scheme was established following the introduction of the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act 2021.
- We consulted with Victorian communities and organisations, including LGBTIQA+ organisations, from July to October 2023 on how we can protect more Victorians from vilification, strengthen anti-vilification protections under civil law and strengthen and streamline anti-vilification offences under criminal law.
- Victoria Police implemented a communications and training package for police and protective services officers to improve their capacity to positively engage with sex workers. Over the long term we will deliver improved police reporting avenues for all sex workers experiencing discrimination, harassment, and violence.
We are improving avenues for accessing justice and policing responses so LGBTIQA+ people receive fair treatment
- We responded to LGBTIQA+ Victorians’ specialist legal needs by funding Q+Law, a free state-wide legal service, located at the Victorian Pride Centre. Q+Law is delivered through Fitzroy Legal Service and operates in partnership with Queerspace.
- Victoria Police continued efforts to improve police responses to LGBTIQA+ communities by delivering actions under the Victoria Police LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Action Plan 2023–2024 and providing LGBTIQA+ awareness and sensitivity training for Victoria Police staff. Training included an immersive learning exercise focusing on human rights, professional and ethical standards and the inclusion of LGBTIQA+ content in foundation training.
- We started work to develop and deliver a LGBTIQA+ Justice Action Plan to improve outcomes for LGBTIQA+ Victorians in justice settings.
Case Study 1: Q+Law is responding to the unique and complex legal needs of LGBTIQA+ Victorians
Established in mid-2023, Q+Law is a specialist legal service to address the unique and complex legal needs experienced by LGBTIQA+ people in Victoria.
Q+Law provides a free, state-wide, safe entry point for LGBTIQA+ people to access justice and legal services by providing advice, information and referrals. Located at the Victorian Pride Centre, Q+Law is a proud partnership of Fitzroy Legal Service and Queerspace. Q+Law has outreach locations at Queerspace and Your Community Health.
For one parent, Jo, Q+Law helped them with a family law issue. In this case, Jo’s ex-partner had denied them access to their child while requesting child support. While Jo is not biologically related to their child, they are on their child’s birth certificate.
Jo expressed that Q+Law was the first legal service willing to take on their case.
They were there for me as well, being able to relate to your story. Obviously, there's a lot of people in the community that have dealt with the same thing. It was nice to feel heard, and what you were wanting, and they didn't press you. A lot of lawyers are like, “Oh, no, we don't do that. You have to find someone else”.
Q+Law took on Jo’s case as a high priority and provided Jo with queer-specific legal services. Q+Law provided a judgement-free service to give Jo the space to decide what parenting arrangement they wanted and helped them navigate the family court system to achieve that outcome. Jo expressed that their lawyer at Q+Law understood the nuances of LGBTIQA+ parenting in their case, which was not what they had experienced previously, and their lawyer was able to explain the legal process in a way that was easy to understand.
Q+Law showed empathy as well of my situation and we ended up getting the result that we were wanting, so it was great.
Jo’s case highlights the struggles some LGBTIQA+ parents can face in navigating custody disputes and how having inclusive and affirming services provides safer and more effective avenues for LGBTIQA+ people to access justice.
Updated