Proudly Safe SA
ENHANCING E-SAFETY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION FOR LGBTIQA+ YOUNG PEOPLE
Resources for if you feel unsafe
There is help available if someone threatens you or make you feel unsafe in any way.
If you are in immediate danger or at risk of harm and you’re in Australia, call Triple Zero (000).
Your local police can be contacted on 131 444 if there are threats to your or your friends or family members safety.
Your Options
Contact the Police
Contact the police immediately if you have experienced physical or sexual assault or someone is threatening you with physical or sexual assault. There are LGBTIQA+ support organisations that can support you when you are talking to the police. Alternatively, you can go to your local police station and ask to speak with the LGBTIQA+ liaison officer to report the incident.
Gather Evidence
Save screenshots of chats and posts you have with someone new. If things turn negative, you can use these screenshots as evidence to report the abuse to police, online services or eSafety. Here are some handy hints on how to gather evidence.
Report hurtful content
The report feature on the online platform or service should be used first when you find a hurtful profile or post. The next step is report them to eSafety if you do not hear back from the service or platform within 48 hours.
Prevent further contact
You can use in-app features or settings on your web browser to unfollow, mute or block the other person and change your privacy settings once you have collected evidence. Stop all contact with the other person when image-based abuse is involved. You can use the same unfollowing, muting or blocking features in the app; however, don’t block them until eSafety or the police advice you to do so.
Get more help
Serious online abuse can be very disturbing to experience or watch someone experience. Counselling and support is always available from an LGBTIQA+ support service if you need.
Family and domestic violence
Call the police on Triple Zero (000) or contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) if you are in Australia. Your safety is of upmost importance. Abusive behaviour may get worse if an abusive person learns that you are seeking assistance. 1800RESPECT can connect you with more support and resources to assist you.
Family and domestic violence has been experienced by one in three LGBTIQA+ people in a present or past relationship. This is equivalent to the likelihood of a woman in the non-LGBTIQA+ population to experience family and domestic violence.
The resource Say it Out Loud has good advice for healthy LGBTIQA+ relationships and you can read the eSafety commissioner’s advice on domestic and family violence.
The Catalyst Foundation also has information through our Towards a Safe Place program. Please contact (08) 8168 8715 or email lgbtiprojectofficer@catalystfoundation.com.au for more information.
Additional LGBTIQA+ support services
Visit the ABC Queer and LGBTIQA+ support service page for more support service for the queer and LGBTIQA+ community across Australia.