A review of research on victimisation of the gay and lesbian community in Ireland

Abstract

This report examines overseas research dealing with hate crimes against the gay community and questions whether or not similar research should be conducted here. The key issues surrounding the violence and harassment of gay men and lesbians are known, publicised and readily acknowledged. Missing, however, are the specifics that can only emerge from empirical research. We know little about experiences of victimisation and the profile of perpetrators of hate crimes in Ireland. It is unclear to what extent cultural and social differences might result in research findings in Ireland that are different from those found in other countries. Designing reliable and valid research is a significant challenge. Accessing a representative sample of the gay community has posed an almost insurmountable obstacle for researchers in the past, with most studies resorting to convenience sampling through representative groups or gay-events. The extent to which experiences of victimisation among this highly visible and active section of the community differs from the gay community as a whole is unclear but poses concerns for researchers. The report concludes that there is a strong case for additional research in Ireland, taking account of the inherent research design difficulties.