Victoria Police LGBTI police officers battling homophobia

Victoria Police has an “entrenched culture” of “everyday homophobia”, with senior officers across multiple stations accused of using discrimination and violent language towards LGBTI members, a new report claims.

A report by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission has detailed a culture of “everyday homophobia” within Victoria Police.

When Inspector Mark Keen started working as a police officer he received offensive, homophobic comments every day.

Although he says the force has come a long way, a recent report released in Footscray has accused some senior police officers of continuing to bully LGBTI members of the force, with homophobic slurs like “homo” and “fag”.

The report, Proud, visible, safe: Responding to Workplace Harm Experienced by LGBTI Employees at Victoria Police, was released last week and shed light on why some employees and bystanders were not willing to report workplace harm.

Victoria Police has appointed a number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex liaison officers across the state.

Insp Keen contributed to the report and said the police force was a different beast when it came to cultural change because there were many employees who had been with the organisation for more than 40 years.

“We still have people around who started working when homosexuality was illegal,” he said.

“As an openly gay police officer, the report is really healing and it gives us a chance to have closure.”

Insp Keen said many current and former officers still bear the scars from their early years in the 1980s.

Assistant Commissioner Lisa Hardeman said the report gave VicPol the information and guidance to make meaningful change.

“Back then, there was no equal opportunity act. To out yourself back then, like I did, was very difficult.”

Insp Keen said he had to deal with “snide remarks”, “offensive comments” and “rampant hetereosexualism” on a daily basis.

“Homophobia was in your face, it was mainstream and normalised,” he said.

“Whenever you transfer you have to come out again. But it’s easier than having to remember the lies you’ve told — that was exhausting.”

Insp Keen also said the culture had changed.

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“To the extent it (homophobia) still exists, it’s underground. We’ve had generational change,” he said.

About 150 people, including representatives from Maribyrnong Council, Hobsons Bay Council, and the Western Bulldogs, gathered at Footscray police station to celebrate the release of the report last Friday.

“This report has a LGBTI inclusion strategy and action plan for 2018 to 2021.“

He said one theme was LGBTI officers felt they had to “wear a mask” when they came to work, and not be themselves.

There were speeches from Tom Walsh from Gogglebox Australia and Joy 94.9 FM, executive director Catherine Dixon and acting Assistant Commissioner Lisa Hardeman.

Victoria Police has accepted all of the recommendations in the report, including boosting workforce data, reviewing workplace harm policies and complaint processes, and workplace harm training.

“We have made great strides as an organisation but know that we cannot be satisfied until every employee can go to work as their authentic self. This report gives us the information and guidance we need to make meaningful changes where it is most needed,” Ass Comm Hardeman said.

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