Life on the Margins : Survey Results of the Experiences of LGBTI People in Southeastern Europe September

This survey was conducted to better understand the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people in seven countries in Southeastern Europe: five in the Western Balkans - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, and Montenegro; as well as two European Union (EU) member states, Croatia and Slovenia. The research adopted and adapted a 2012 survey of LGBT people carried out by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) in 27 EU countries plus Croatia (which joined the EU in 2013) (the ?FRA survey?). The FRA survey set a benchmark for understanding the lives of LGBT people. In addition to the FRA survey, this current survey also gathered specific information on the lives of intersex people. The collective experiences of LGBTI people in the countries surveyed paint a distressing picture of the harmful effects of discrimination, harassment, exclusion, and violence. The findings confirm that generally, most LGBTI people hide their identities for fear of discrimination or worse and have legitimate concerns about their safety, especially in public spaces, but also in their own homes. The survey indicates that the majority of LGBTI people are not involved in LGBTI movements and have limited knowledge of their rights and how to exercise them. Many are on the receiving end of offensive jokes, insults, abusive language, and expressions of hatred. Discrimination in the workplace and in the health care and education systems remains common, and incidents of exclusion and harassment are widespread.