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Rising violence against LGBTQ+ people in Russia

Nearly half (43.5%) of LGBTQ+ people in Russia faced violence and hate crimes in 2023, according to our report.

This rise in violence is creating a harsh reality — from online harassment and verbal threats to physical attacks and blackmail, LGBTQ+ people are constantly under siege.

What’s fueling this fear? Recent discriminatory laws have emboldened attackers, making violence seem almost encouraged. Simply being yourself has become dangerous.

Our annual research

  • Nearly Half of LGBTQ+ Russians Faced Violence in 2023
  • 43.5% of LGBTQ+ people faced violence or pressure in 2023 (up from 30% last year)
  • 8% experienced physical abuse, with transgender people targeted more frequently (13%)

“A group of strangers saw me on the street and figured I was gay based on my appearance. One of them yelled something about it being legal to get rid of gay people now, and then they started beating me. I ended up in the ICU with a concussion for five days.”

Gay cisgender man, 22, Novosibirsk region
  • 1 in 4 LGBTQ+ people (24%) were threatened with violence — a 4% increase since last year. Transgender people faced such threats even more often (34%)

“My parents threatened to put me in a psychiatric hospital and disown me. They also threatened physical violence. My father said that if I didn’t ‘change,’ he would kill me to avoid shaming the family. My mother echoed the threat.”

Gay non-binary person, 16, Murmansk region
  • 14% experienced online harassment and threats, with transgender people disproportionately targeted (22%)

“I’ve been harassed on social media. Anonymous accounts blackmailed me, threatening to out me to my family and colleagues. They even sent death threats, saying they would murder and bury me. It’s terrifying — they had all my personal information: address, workplace, and even details about my relatives.”

Gay cisgender man, 21, Sakhalin region

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