Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Canadians at High Risk of Violence, StatsCan Says
 Canwest News Service
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 |  | A higher proportion of gays and lesbians were single, were living in an urban area, and were engaging in 30 or more evening activities each month than heterosexuals. |  | | | |
Ottawa - Gay, lesbian and bisexual Canadians are significantly more likely than heterosexual Canadians to fall victim to violent crimes, including sexual assault, robbery and physical assault, according to a new study prepared by Statistics Canada and released Thursday.
The study, based on a comprehensive Canada-wide social survey conducted in 2004, examined victimization rates, perceptions of discrimination, fear of crime and attitudes towards the justice system among gays, lesbians and bisexuals. It was the first time respondents were asked to identify their sexual orientation.
Previous studies based on data from the so-called General Social Survey have shown that groups more likely to be victimized include young or single people, students, people with low incomes, urban residents or people who tend often to go out at night.
"This study indicated that some of these factors are more common among gays, lesbians and bisexuals," Statistics Canada report. "For example, a higher proportion of gays and lesbians were single, were living in an urban area, and were engaging in 30 or more evening activities each month than heterosexuals."
The study also found that higher proportions of bisexuals were under the age of 25, and were single, students, earning low incomes and had active evening lives.
However, the study found that, even after all of these factors were taken into consideration, the odds of being victimized were nearly double for gays and lesbians and four-and-a-half times greater for bisexuals.
Even so, people who identified themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual did not express higher levels of fear than their heterosexual counterparts.
Overall, more than nine of 10 said they were "somewhat" or "very" satisfied with their personal safety. This proportion was similar to that expressed by heterosexual survey respondents. |
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News from Around the Americas | February 2008 
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