Most LGBTQ+ people who travel for work say they've felt less safe abroad — and yet a new survey has found most companies aren't offering protections for their employees even as they send them to places where their identities are illegal.
More than half (52 percent) of employees say that traveling for work as a member of the LGBTQ+ community feels less safe compared to their heterosexual or cisgender colleagues, according to a new report from World Travel Protections. This is amplified by the fact that 61 countries still criminalize homosexuality in some form.
Despite the safety concerns, only 13 percent of travelers say that their place of work provides LGBTQ+ specific pre-travel information for trips abroad. This is the same as the previous year’s findings, the report notes, which suggests "no significant progress" has been made to protect LGBTQ+ employees who travel for work. This "leaves them vulnerable to safety risks, harassment, and discrimination especially in countries where their rights may not be recognized or protected."
The data is based on a February online survey of 2,000 people who travel for business at least once a year, including 500 from the United States, 500 from the United Kingdom, 500 from Canada, and 500 from Australia.
The report recommended that organizations provide resources about destination-specific risks for LGBTQ+ people to all employees, not just those who are out. These resources should include guidance on accessing medical support, and clear protocols for handling incidents of harassment or discrimination. Businesses should also allow employees to decline trips to potentially dangerous countries without reprimand, and offer alternative travel options when available.
"When sending LGBTQ+ employees to parts of the world where their rights are not fully recognized by the host government, there needs to be a plan in place to support them,” said Frank Harrison, Regional Security Director Americas at World Travel Protection.
Charlie Kirk DID say stoning gay people was the 'perfect law' — and these other heinous quotes