The pandemic, and lockdown in particular, shaped the activity of the LGBTI Centre in 2020. Demand for support services rose by 20%, with the number of people attended to up by 14%. In addition, the social isolation caused by the pandemic and discord in family environments led to a fourfold increase in cases among young people. The effects were also reflected in the number of requests for aid to cover basic needs, which rose by 126% in one year. The centre closed from 14 March to 14 June and set up a telematic support operation in conjunction with organisations and the City Council’s social services. Some 21% of cases occurred during the time the centre was closed.
User profile
Of the 353 people attended to by the LGBTI Centre in 2020, the main group were people between the ages of 31 and 40, accounting for 27% of support given, while the over-65s accounted for just 1% of the total.
Yet compared with the data for 2019, what stands out is the number of cases of minors. Although they account for just 8% of the total, their numbers have practically quadrupled. This mushrooming figure can be explained through the increase in socialisation and support needs during lockdown, a time when many young LGBTI people had to manage without their usual support network and in an environment which in some cases was hostile towards them.
Taking into account data by gender identity, notable increases can be found in support for trans men (which doubled in a year), and trans women, which remained stable in terms of year-on-year figures but doubled during lockdown, highlighting the vulnerability of this collective in the toughest months of the pandemic. In terms of CIS men, the rise here was 23%, while the number of cases with CIS women dropped by 12%.
Types of requests
There were 405 requests in 2020, some 20% more than the previous year. What stands out is the 126% rise in requests for aid to cover basic needs. Of the total number of requests in this category, 60% were linked to upkeep and 40% to housing. The other types of request which increased the most were legal guidance (a sixfold increase), psychological support (double) and consultations on foreigner status and asylum (handled in conjunction with the SAIER and other specialist entities).
The centre handled 20 cases of LGBTI-phobia in 2020. Half of these were dealt with in conjunction with the City Council’s Office for Non-Discrimination (OND). The rest were addressed in various other ways, such as referral to the Legal Guidance Service at the centre.
The specialist services at the centre (legal guidance, psychological support and support for trans people) attended to 306 cases in all. This means that 8 out of 10 people who use the welcome service get continuity from the facility and receive ongoing support over time. This proportion is similar to in 2019.
Greater coordination with municipal services
The LGBTI Centre, the OND and the Observatory Against Homophobia (OCH) have been working together since May to boost protection for people and coordinate support for cases. The Social Emergency and Urgent Care Centre recently joined in with this effort, offering urgent care for victims of LGBTI-phobia outside the operating hours for the rest of the services.
The centre coordinated with the City Council’s social services centres in 58 cases in 2020. Half of these were during lockdown.
Broader scope for activities thanks to online activity
The LGBTI Centre has broadened its scope of action with a total of 106 activities, some 68% more than in its first year. The use of new technologies has helped with this. The total number of people following activities organised by the centre (lectures, talks, film, exhibitions etc.) was 29,506, equating to 8,941 more than the previous year.
In contrast, activities organised by the resident organisations at the centre and other user associations dropped by 25% due to the difficulty in maintaining the social and relational aspects of their programmes.