Study documents abuse faced by LBT women in Lithuania

A study of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and non-binary people in Lithuania found that respondents commonly experienced psychological abuse, harassment and threats, LRT reports. The findings also point to widespread harassment and feelings of insecurity in public.

The National LGBT+ Rights Organization LGL surveyed 247 people and conducted 10 semi-structured interviews. Some 67.2% of respondents said they had experienced violence. The results are not representative because of the number of participants.

Psychological abuse was the most commonly reported form of violence, followed by sexual harassment and online abuse. Nearly 70% of respondents said they had experienced harassment or felt unsafe in public. Many said they avoided showing affection to a partner in public, hid their identity or feared negative reactions in everyday situations.

LGL communications manager Egle Kuktoraite said abuse also occurs in relationships between women, despite a common misconception that it does not. In such relationships, psychological abuse is more common. One partner may threaten to disclose the other’s sexual orientation or gender identity to family members, employers or other people in their social circle without consent.

Such threats can make it difficult to seek help, Kuktoraite said, because a person may fear losing not only their partner but also their wider social circle. She added that people do not always immediately recognise abuse, particularly when it is psychological or economic rather than physical, or involves sexual violence.

LBT women also face harassment, aggression and hate speech in public and online, Kuktoraite said. LGBT+ people may avoid showing affection in public to prevent negative reactions, while women who speak out online can face threats and aggression. She also said men often sexualise lesbian women, and that sexual harassment is widespread both in public and online.

The study notes that violence against women is rooted in gender inequality. In Lithuania, as in other countries, one in three women experiences violence, including in close relationships.