switchboard victoria: Last News

In a year when much of the community is being forced into a sense of isolation initiatives such as Switchboard Victoria’s Out & About program are ever more important.COVID-19 challenges us all to find new ways of keeping connections alive. Now more than ever, services that support older LGBTQI people to connect with our own community are critical.

In the first such report of its kind, Victoria’s Coroner said that over 200 LGBTQI Victorians have died by suicide in the past decade. Trigger Warning: This story discusses suicide, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.The state’s coroner admitted that that the numbers are likely to be an “undercount” due to “issues with its ability to identify LGBTIQ+ people among deaths investigated by Victorian coroners”.Between 2012 and 2021, there were 208 deaths by suicide by LGBTQI persons, including 34 deaths – the most deaths during the 10 year period – that were recorded in 2014. The numbers also reflected what LGBTQI organisations have been saying for years, young LGBTQI people are the most vulnerable.