Voices Unheard
Who are Voices Unheard?
Voices Unheard are a youth commission of LGBTQ+ young people from across Scotland who work together with LGBT Youth Scotland staff and volunteers to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ experiences of domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.
From our 2022 peer consultation, we learned that LGBTQ+ young people feel there are not enough resources or positive representations of LGBTQ+ relationships available to support them to understand what a healthy LGBTQ+ relationship actually looks and feels like. We also learned that domestic abuse can be common in young people’s relationships, but often people don’t recognise their own experiences as abuse, particularly when then there is little or no physical violence.
In addition, we found that LGBTQ+ young people face significant barriers to accessing support or reporting domestic abuse due to fear of being outed, concerns about homophobia, biphobia and/or transphobia from service providers, or worry that they wouldn’t be taken seriously due to their age or LGBTQ+ identity.
Voices Unheard: Peer Consultation
In 2022, we delivered a peer-consultation with 58 LGBTQ+ young people from across the country to learn more about their experiences of relationships and domestic abuse, and to identify any barriers they may face in accessing support.
Voices Unheard: Speak Out!
In 2025, we launched the ‘Voices Unheard: Speak Out!’ campaign.
Much of the information we see about domestic abuse, whether in the media, in education, or in public campaigns, is focused on heterosexual, cisgender experiences of domestic abuse, which can lead people to believe that domestic abuse doesn’t happen in LGBTQ+ relationships or that it is less serious.
LGBTQ+ young people should be able to access information about domestic abuse in LGBTQ+ relationships so they can recognise the signs and know where to access relevant support if they experience abuse, or are worried that they may be abusive to their partner. They also deserve to have targeted resources that support them to develop healthy LGBTQ+ relationships.
The campaign aimed to make that happen, and throughout April we shared information about LGBTQ+ domestic abuse as well as launching our brand-new resources that were co-developed by LGBTQ+ young people:
Voices Unheard: Professional Training Film
How can people get involved or support the campaign?
We want everyone who cares about LGBTQ+ young people to help us to raise awareness.
Share Our Campaign
Whether you are an LGBTQ+ person, a friend, family member, ally, or professional who supports LGBTQ+ young people, you can get involved by following @LGBTYS on social media and sharing our Voices Unheard Speak Out! campaign content and resources.
Join the discussion using #VoicesUnheardSpeakOut!
Young People Speak Out!
We are asking LGBTQ+ young people from across Scotland to let us know what questions LGBTQ+ young people have about relationships, or to share top tips for building healthy LGBTQ+ relationships. We will use these to inform development of new resources over the next year.
All responses will be anonymous, and everyone who sends a question or top tip will have the opportunity to enter our prize draw to win one of two £20 vouchers.
Get involved here!
Professionals Take Action!
We are encouraging professionals who work with young people or work in the domestic abuse/ GBV field to read the Voices Unheard 2022 Peer Consultation Report or watch our new Voices Unheard Professional Training film and think about any changes they can make in their practice, their service, or their organisation to better support LGBTQ+ young people who experience domestic abuse. Let us know what actions you pledge to take here.
Donate
Do you want a Scotland where LGBTQ+ young people can flourish and thrive?
You can help make that happen by making a donation to support LGBT Youth Scotland’ s vital work. Find out more here.
For more information about the Voices Unheard Speak Out! campaign, or LGBT Youth Scotland’s domestic abuse and gender-based violence focused work, please contact [email protected]
If you are worried you or someone you care about may be experiencing domestic abuse, find out more, including where to access support, here
You may be interested in...
Harmful Relationships
