LGBTI Australians reported double the amount of verbal and physical harassment and assault during the postal survey period, according to new research.

A survey of 9500 LGBTI people, as well as their friends and family, showed that more than 90 per cent said the postal survey had a negative impact on them, just as advocates warned it would.

The research, conducted by the Australia Institute and the National LGBTI Health Alliance, comes as marriage equality legislation is being debated in the House of Representatives

Yesterday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Parliament that “the postal survey was one of the most remarkable political events in my lifetime – and I believe in the lifetime of many Australians.”

The preliminary findings also show that nearly 80 per cent of LGBTI people said they found the debate considerably or extremely stressful.

Almost 70 per cent of those surveyed said they “avoided being with people in general”, while 80 per cent said they kept their feelings hidden at least some of the time. Read more via Star Observer