Hate Crime Victimization and Help-Seeking Patterns in Austin's LGBTQ+ Community: An Exploratory Analysis

• In Event: Beyond Victimization and Discrimination: Resilience, Help-Seeking, Well-being, and Joy among LGBTQ+ People

Abstract

This study addresses the limited research on differential rates of hate crime victimization within the LGBTQ+ community and the factors associated with help-seeking behavior. We use data from the 2021 LGBTQIA+ Quality of Life Survey, a cross-sectional, non-probability sample of LGBTQ+ individuals living in Austin, Texas, from 2020 to 2021. We document the characteristics of victims based on socioeconomic and demographic factors and use multivariate analyses to identify characteristics associated with victimization and help-seeking. Our findings reveal significant variations in victimization rates based on gender identity and sexual orientation but not in help-seeking behavior. This study sheds light on the complexity of hate crime victimization and emphasizes the importance of considering within-group differences when developing support systems for affected individuals.

Authors

• Matthew Duran, Arizona State University

• Mellissa Linton-Villafranco, Arizona State University