A quarter of gay people surveyed in a major European Union poll say they have been subjected to attacks or violent threats in the past five years.
Poorer and younger respondents were more likely to face discrimination due to their sexuality, the survey found.
The EU's Fundamental Rights Agency surveyed 93,000 people in the EU and Croatia for what it calls the most comprehensive survey of its kind.
The online survey asked lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender respondents whether they had experienced discrimination, violence, verbal abuse or hate speech on the grounds of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Half of those who said they were attacked did not report the violence believing no action would be taken.
The report will be used to shape new European Union policies.