In April 2025 in Rome, EL*C had its biggest ever conference with more than 700 participants from all around the World. As part of the conference, a significant meeting took place with more than 50 participants to address the challenges of gender-based violence (GBV) against lesbian* communities across Europe. The meeting brought together grantees of the Combating Gender-based Violence against Lesbians* grant/making programme and the EL*C team to share insights, collaborate, and strategize on effective responses to this urgent issue.
The meeting was structured into two key parts. In the morning session, participants engaged in focused teamwork across five thematic groups: working with lesbian* refugees and refugee lesbians*, research on GBV against lesbians*, support for survivors of violence, sensitization of service providers and the public, and collaboration with other movements such as feminist, youth, Roma, and LGBTIQ groups. Each group examined critical questions such as funding sustainability, research methodologies, service provision challenges, especially in rural areas, awareness raising, and advocacy strategies. This enabled a diverse exchange of experiences and best practices from organizations across countries, including France, Spain, Serbia, Italy, Bulgaria, and more.
The afternoon session featured presentations of key conclusions from the teamwork, highlighting the nuanced barriers and successes identified by the groups. A moderated discussion on advocacy followed, with contributions from key partner organizations like Rainbow Ignite, Labris, Transfeminiit, Lesbiche Bologna, and ERA WLW. This dialogue focused on practical approaches to advocacy at national and local levels, emphasizing the need for tailored state responsibility, cross-movement solidarity, and capacity building within the lesbian* community.
This meeting marked a vital step in strengthening the network of organizations combatting GBV against lesbians* in Europe, fostering renewed commitment to collaborative advocacy, research, and support services tailored to the specific needs of lesbian* survivors of violence. The shared dedication of participants promises ongoing progress in addressing these human rights and social justice challenges across the continent.
