Slovenia has gained two spots to rank 19th on the latest Rainbow Map, published annually by Europe's leading LGBTI organisation, ILGA-Europe. However, issues persist with an EU survey suggesting that bullying and harassment targeting LGBTI people are still rampant.

Released ahead of International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, observed on 17 May, the 16th Rainbow Map ranks 49 European countries on legislative developments regarding LGBTI human rights, with the best result being 100%.

Slovenia's latest score, 49.97%, is the highest so far, and only slightly lower than the EU average of 50.60%. The Europe average is at 42.06%.

The organisation called on Slovenia to provide a system for legal gender recognition that would be fair, transparent, based on self-determination and free from abusive requirements, and adopt legislation to allow all individuals to have access to assisted reproduction technologies. It also urged the country to renew its LGBTI action plan.

Hate speech one of worst aspects

Slovenia fared best in the civil society space category, where it received 100%, followed by recognition and protection of LGBTI people's family rights, such as marriage equality and adoption (67%).

In terms of effective anti-discrimination legislation the country scored nearly 58%, and in the legal gender recognition category 46%.

In the asylum category it scored only 33%, and less than 26% in terms of hate crime and hate speech. Its worst score was in the intersex bodily integrity category, at zero points.

The last category covers prohibition of any kind of surgical or medical intervention performed on an intersex minor before the person is able to give informed consent, while the asylum category assesses to what extent sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics are part of a qualification criteria for seeking international protection.

One-third feel violence has increased

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights released its third LGBTIQ survey, which shows that 26% of respondents in Slovenia avoid often or always certain locations for fear of being assaulted. 38% are now fairly or very open about being LGBTIQ in Slovenia, which compares to the EU average of 51%.

Overall, 29% felt discriminated against in at least one area of life in the year before the survey, 45% say they were harassed in that period, and 8% said they had been attacked in the five years before the survey. When it comes to conversion practices, 23% of respondents in Slovenia had such an experience.

Some 56% said that during their time in school they suffered bullying, ridicule, teasing, insults or threats because they are LGBTIQ. The figure for the EU-27 is 67%, which is a steep increase compared to 2019 when it stood at 43%.

A third in Slovenia and 59% in the EU believe that violence against LGBTIQ people has increased, and 15% in Slovenia said they thought often or always of committing suicide in the year before the survey.