Victims should never feel like an afterthought - their voices matter and we're making sure they are heard.
Labor is giving LGBTIQA+ Victorians better pathways to safely and confidentially report vilification and discrimination.
Minister for Equality Steve Dimopoulous and Attorney General Sonya Kilkenny today launched an improved Community Reporting Tool (CRT) developed by the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC).
To make reporting easier, VEOHRC now offers a choice of dedicated banners representing LGBTIQA+, First Peoples, women, people with disability and multicultural Victorians, to support organisations embedding the CRT into their website.
It enables LGBTIQA+ Victorians to report experiences of anti-LGBTIQA+ discrimination, sexual harassment,
vilification or hate speech, without needing to make a formal complaint.
The confidential online tool logs experiences of discrimination and provides an alternative reporting pathway. Victorians will have the option to provide details and request VEOHRC contact them for information and support.
Depending on the individual, this may include linking them to a service like Switchboard Victoria's Rainbow Door.
The reports will help government, communities, policy makers and law reform advocates understand that is happening in the community to better help others.
The upgrade of this tool is a key response to LGBTIQA+ leaders presenting to the Premier's Anti-Hate Taskforce held last year, aiming to tackle harassment and vilification before it leads to violence.
The Labor Government continues to work alongside Victoria Police and their LGBTIQA+ Liaison Network to support reporting of incidents that reach a criminal threshold.
We encourage anyone impacted by violence to share their experience.
As stated by Minister for Equality Steve Dimopoulous
"Now LGBTIQA+ Victorians have a safe, confidential way to have their experience heard and acted on. Every voice matters, and only Labor is making sure every voice is heard."
As stated by Attorney General Sonya Kilkenny
"This upgraded tool is confidential, simple, and it connects people straight to the support they need, like Switchboard's Rainbow Door."
As stated by Victorian Equal Opportunity and Equal Rights Commissioner Ro Allen
"The enhanced tool now has five design options to help different communities feel safe and empowered to make a report - organisations hosting the tool on their website can select the most relevant design for their needs."
As stated by LGBTIQA+ Commissioner Joe Ball
"This reporting tool will give us a clear picture of vilification and hate happening in our communities so we can respond, identify patterns and strengthen prevention - every report can help build that understanding."
