To mark Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, Brisbane Youth Service has launched a new group-based initiative supporting LGBTIQA+ young people aged 18–25 to build safe, respectful relationships and recover from past experiences of violence.
The new program, SAGE+, is designed specifically for LGBTIQA+ young people who have experienced domestic, family, or sexual violence and/or homelessness. It provides trauma-informed support, delivered by facilitators from the LGBTIQA+ community, to foster connection, build confidence, and support long-term wellbeing.
The program was selected as one of nine nationally to be included in the national Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence Project, led by La Trobe University’s ReGEN (Reducing Gender-Based Violence) Research Group, and funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
Brisbane Youth Service CEO Pam Barker said the program responds to a gap in current prevention and recovery efforts.
“LGBTIQA+ young people experience disproportionately high rates of violence, but are often left out of support programs,” Ms Barker said.
“This may occur in the context of family violence when a parent cannot accept the young person’s identity, or in a first intimate relationship.”
“SAGE+ offers safety, connection, and a pathway to healing in a space where young people feel seen and heard.”
The Brisbane Youth Service program builds on the successful SAGE group for young women and non-binary people, adapting the model to reflect the needs of LGBTIQA+ communities.
“We know this model works,” Ms Barker said. “We are now able to tailor it for a community that’s too often overlooked in the design of domestic, family and sexual violence responses.”
Brisbane Youth Service data highlights the urgency: among LGBTIQA+ young people supported in 2023–24, 82% had experienced family violence, 41% physical assault, and 23% sexual assault. A further 17% had used violence themselves, often due to limited exposure to safe, healthy relationships.
The program addresses the underlying drivers of gendered violence, and supports LGBTIQA+ young people to build knowledge, healthy relationships, and a sense of safety, which are key protective factors in preventing future harm.
SAGE+ will run from May 2025 to August 2026, with findings released in 2027.
Brisbane Youth Service has supported young people aged 12–25 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness since 1977. Its free, confidential services include housing, healthcare, and domestic and family violence support. One in four of those supported identify as LGBTIQA+.