Project: “DOSEGNIMO – Developing Adequate Support for LBTIQ Women and Non-Binary Persons Who Have Survived Gender-Based Violence”
Reporting period: 2025
Promoted by: Lesbian Organisation Rijeka (LORI) and SOS Rijeka – Center for Nonviolence and Human Rights
Funded by: EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (EL*C) and the European Union
Guidelines for Providing More Accessible and Inclusive Support to LBTIQ Women and Non-Binary Persons Who Have Experienced Gender-Based Violence – Report
These guidelines, developed by LORI and SOS Rijeka, are based on 2025 research into the experiences and challenges Croatian organizations face when supporting LBTIQ women and non-binary survivors of gender-based violence — combining an online survey of support organizations with interviews of organizations with 15+ years of field experience. Key findings show major gaps: 54.5% of surveyed organizations don’t clearly state their target groups online, only 27.3% believe LBTIQ women and non-binary people would recognize them as a place to seek help, and fewer than a third feel adequately trained to work with trans, intersex or non-binary survivors. The guidelines translate these findings into concrete recommendations: making LBTIQ inclusion an explicit organizational policy, clarifying target groups publicly, safely collecting data on gender identity/sexual orientation, staff training and supervision on LBTIQ-specific needs, visible signs of inclusion (rainbow flags, symbols), and closer collaboration with LGBTIQ organizations — all calibrated to each organization’s available resources.
