Gay, lesbian, bisexual and other sexual minority Canadians’ experiences of violence and inappropriate sexual behaviours, 2018
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Description: Gay, lesbian, bisexual and other sexual minority Canadians’ experiences of violence and inappropriate sexual behaviours, 2018
Gay, lesbian, bisexual and other sexual minority Canadians’ experiences of violence and inappropriate sexual behaviours, 2018
In 2018, an estimated 1 million people aged 15 and older living in Canada said that they were part of the sexual minority population.
SEXUAL MINORITY: a person whose sexual orientation is gay or lesbian, bisexual, or a sexual orientation other than heterosexual.
Not including violence committed by an intimate partner, of those 15 years of age and older
- Since age 15, almost 6 in 10 (59%) sexual minority Canadians had been sexually or physically assaulted
- Since age 15, just under 4 in 10 (37%) heterosexual Canadians had been sexually or physically assaulted
- In the past 12 months, more than 1 in 10 (11%) sexual minority Canadians had been sexually or physically assaulted
- In the past 12 months, 1 in 25 (4%) heterosexual Canadians had been sexually or physically assaulted
Just under 6 in 10 sexual minority people in Canada had been the target of unwanted sexual behaviours in public in the past 12 months
| Sexual minority | Heterosexual | |
|---|---|---|
| In public | 57% | 22% |
| Online | 37% | 15% |
| At work | 44% | 22% |
Unwanted sexual behaviours like sexual jokes and comments can make people feel unsafe or uncomfortable in their day-to-day lives.
Experiences of sexual minority people in Canada the past 12 months:
- 1 in 3 had experienced unwanted comments about their sex, gender, or sexual orientation while in public
- 1 in 4 had experienced unwanted sexual attention while at work, the most common behavior after inappropriate sexual jokes
- 1 in 4 had been sent unwanted sexually suggestive or explicit images or messages while online or using a smartphone
- 4 in 10 had taken measures to protect themselves from harassment online, such as changing their username or blocking others
For more information, see the full Juristat article: “Experiences of violent victimization and unwanted sexual behaviours among gay, lesbian, bisexual and other sexual minority people, and the transgender population, in Canada, 2018.”
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces.
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