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CHARITY LAUNCHES
NEW LGBT SEX SURVEY
M Sussex-based charity Mankind have launched a new online survey to uncover
the extent and effects of sexual violation on LGBT people. Mankind is a specialist
agency that provides counselling to men who have experienced sexual abuse and is
concerned by the lack of research and knowledge around the
experience of LGBT people.
Martyn Sullivan, Mankind CEO, said: “We are aware that
individuals from LGBT communities face unique difficulties and
challenges in disclosing sexual abuse. We want to address this
by giving them a safe way to tell us about their experiences.”
The survey is called With Consent? and aims to go beyond
clearly defined instances of sexual abuse, assault and rape.
Martyn added: “Sometimes, it is not that clear. Sex can be
used in many different ways and we sometimes find that we’ve been involved in
something that later on we are not entirely happy or comfortable about.”
This is especially true for people first becoming aware of their sexuality and
beginning to experiment with different sexual experiences, or when sex is used as
payment for shelter, food and drugs etc. In these circumstances it can be very
confusing about how consensual the sex was, and how much control the person
actually felt they had. This is why the survey is described as ‘Discovering how sex
is abused, used and confused in LGBT communities.’
Martyn concluded: “We want this survey to cover the whole spectrum of negative
sexual experiences in order to give a true account of the sexual lives of LGBT
people. This is the first survey of its kind – we’ve put it online to make sure it’s
100% confidential and enables as many people as possible to take part.”
To participate in the UK LGBT Survey, view: www.uklgbtsurvey.org
To find out more about Mankind, view: www.mankindcounselling.org.uk
BBC PUBLISHES REPORT ON
DEPICTION OF LGB IN THE MEDIA
M The BBC has published a new snapshot of the views of audiences and experts
on the portrayal of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people in UK programming,
which will provide a robust benchmark to track future changes.Split in two parts, the
report includes a survey of the opinions of around 3,500 people, including more
than 500 people who identify as LGB, as well as an in-depth consultation of
individuals and members of expert organisations including Stonewall, actors’
union Equity and the Lesbian & Gay Foundation.
The report found that whilst the vast majority of audiences are comfortable of the
depiction of LGB people within UK media, many LGB people felt they w \