A new Spanish study highlights how lesbian, trans, bisexual and intersex women can face violence not only in public, but in the places meant to feel safest: home and intimate relationships. Its findings matter because abuse within families and couples can be persistent, difficult to disclose and poorly served by one-size-fits-all support.

Home can become the most dangerous place

The sharpest finding is also the hardest to sit with: for LTBI+ women in Spain, the family home and intimate relationships are prominent settings for violence. A pioneering study by Spain's State Federation of LGTBI+ groups and researchers at Complutense University of Madrid describes abuse that can be physical, sexual, psychological or economic, and may begin in childhood. (Sources [2], [3])

That changes the familiar picture of anti-LGBTQ+ violence as something mainly encountered in the street. For these women, the people and places expected to offer care can instead become sources of control or rejection. As the federation's president Paula Iglesias says in the report, being denied safety at home can leave victims without a refuge when illness or housing problems arise. (Sources [2], [5])

Abuse can be used to enforce expectations

The study frames this violence as more than individual cruelty. It can punish women for departing from expectations about gender and heterosexuality, with pressure to conceal their identity, degrading remarks, coercion and abuse among the forms described. That combination of sexism and anti-LGBTQI+ prejudice can shape both who is targeted and how the harm is inflicted. (Sources [2], [3], [4])

The scale of the problem is difficult to ignore. A Spanish Institute of Women study reported that more than 80% of lesbian and bisexual women surveyed had experienced everyday violence linked to their sexual orientation. That figure does not mean every experience is the same, but it underlines why broad averages can hide the particular risks facing different groups of women. (Sources [3], [4])

Intimate-partner abuse can stay hidden

Violence between women in same-sex relationships is another part of the picture that can be overlooked. Spain's 028 helpline, which supports people affected by anti-LGBTQI+ discrimination, recorded violence within same-sex relationships as its second most common reason for calls in 2025. A separate study reported that 42% of women in female couples had experienced controlling, manipulative or abusive behaviour. (Sources [2], [6], [7])

The point isn't that abuse follows one script. The report and legal experts note that gender stereotypes can affect relationships between women too, while the abuse may take emotional or psychological forms that are harder to spot from the outside. A calm-looking relationship can still be shaped by surveillance, isolation or pressure. (Sources [2], [7])

Risk extends beyond the home

Education and work are also identified as high-risk settings, while healthcare, social circles, leisure spaces and media present other possible sources of harm. The study argues that institutions often treated as safe or neutral can be hostile for LTBI+ women, particularly when staff lack relevant understanding or dismiss what victims report. (Sources [2], [3])

This distinction matters because support that works for one person may not work for another. The report calls for an intersectional approach and tailored protocols, rather than assuming all women experience violence in the same way. In practice, that means listening without judgement, taking disclosures seriously and ensuring services understand the role that prejudice can play. (Sources [2], [4])

Better support starts with being believed

For anyone supporting a friend or relative, the first steps are simple but meaningful: listen, avoid questioning someone's identity or credibility, and ask what kind of help feels safe. If there is immediate danger, contact emergency services; otherwise, a specialist support service can help discuss options without forcing a person to make decisions before they're ready. (Sources [2], [6])

Recognising violence is not a cure, but it can be the beginning of a safer response. The study's central message is clear: support must reach into the home, relationships and institutions, not just the public spaces where prejudice is easiest to see. (Sources [2], [5])

Choose support that listens, understands and puts safety first.

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