Young people’s experiences of identity abuse in the context of family violence: A Victorian study

This study provides an analysis of young Victorians’ (aged 16 to 20 years) self-reported experiences of gender-identity abuse, LGBTIQ+ identity abuse, and the cultural impacts of family violence victimisation. It forms part of a wider study contracted by Family Safety Victoria (FSV) to support the development of the Child and Young Person-focused MARAM practice guidance and tools. 

This report is the second output of the wider study; the first report focused on an analysis of young people’s experiencing of seeking help, securing help and navigating the Victorian family violence system (see Fitz-Gibbon, McGowan and Stewart, 2023). Together these reports seek to incorporate lived experience and the voices of children and young people into the new MARAM Practice Guides currently in development by Family Safety Victoria. 

This report presents the key findings – including quantitative and qualitative analysis – from a Victorian based study of children and young people’s experiences of LGBTIQ+ identity abuse, gender identity abuse and experiences of family violence that result in cultural impacts. The report presents details about the study design and the broader national data set upon which this project draws. 

The research findings are organised into six key areas: 

1. Young people’s experiences of LGBTIQ+ identity abuse,
2. Young people’s experiences of gender identity abuse,
3. The impacts of identity abuse experienced by young people,
4. Experiences of abuse for young people who reported cultural impacts,
5. Young people’s views on the contributors to their experiences of family violence, and
6. Young people’s views on desired supports. 

The second half of this report centres the voices of children and young people through the use of direct quotes from participants in this study to explore the impacts of identity abuse. While earlier sections do not readily lend themselves to qualitative analysis, our aim is always to privilege and lead with the voices of children and young people wherever possible. The final section of the report provides a concise summary of the policy and practice implications of this research.