(Posted 2022 June)
Discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people and systemic barriers to resources have far reaching consequences for the safety and well-being of communities. LGBTQIA+ people are impacted by sexual and domestic violence at disproportionately higher rates than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts and experience specific barriers to needed support. It is also much more difficult for those impacted to access mental health services, housing, employment, and legal support.
There are currently 30 states that lack comprehensive sexual orientation and gender identity protections in state law for their citizens. In some of these states, LGBTQIA+ people can be fired, denied housing, denied access to public services, and face a whole host of other discrimination, without legal recourse. The Virginia Values Act was passed in 2020, making it illegal in Virginia to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, employment, and public accommodations, but discrimination still takes place.
Statistics
The impact of unequal protection and systemic failures is emphasized by the following statistics:
- The 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found lesbian, gay, and bisexual respondents reported levels of intimate partner violence at rates equal to or higher than heterosexual respondents.
- 44% percent of lesbian women and 61% of bisexual women experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, compared to 35% of heterosexual women.
- 26% percent of gay men and 37% of bisexual men experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime, compared to 29% of heterosexual men.
- Approximately 1 in 5 bisexual women (22%) reported being raped by an intimate partner in their lifetime, double the rate of heterosexual women (9%).
- The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, surveyed transgender people across the United States and found they are at the highest risks for domestic and sexual violence of any population.
- 54% of respondents had experienced some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime, and nearly half of those respondents (24%) reported severe physical violence.
- These statistics were even higher for transgender people of color, with 56% of Black/African American respondents and as high as 73% of American Indian and Alaska Native respondents reporting experiencing intimate partner violence.
- 47% of survey respondents reported experiencing sexual assault in their lifetime, and 10% reported being sexually assaulted in the past year.
- Sexual assault statistics were even higher for transgender respondents who had experienced homelessness (65%), who had been involved in sex work (72%), and who identified as disabled (61%).
Barriers to Accessing Services
Discrimination and exclusion based on sexual orientation and gender identity can amplify the isolation individuals and families impacted by domestic violence often experience. For someone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ and does not have supportive friends, family, or communities in their life, or who are not out in those spaces, isolation can lead to shame and guilt. Victims of violence may not have anyone they feel safe enough to talk to about their experiences.
Housing and employment discrimination create circumstances conducive for abusive partners to explicitly threaten to tell a victim’s employer or landlord about their identity if they try to leave the relationship or talk to someone else about the violence. Fear of job loss or becoming homeless are added burdens LGBTQ+ people face. People of any gender identity or sexual orientation may be concerned about leaving a relationship due to financial barriers, but this risk is particularly significant for LGBTQIA+ people due to these forms of discrimination. Young LGBTQIA+ people may feel the need to move in with a partner very quickly if they are kicked out of their parents’ home or experiencing homelessness.
Bias in Services
Even when LGBTQIA+ people do seek formal services or try to report their victimization, they can experience bias from helping professionals. People with LGBTQIA+ identities often do not seek services because they are worried they will have to educate providers on their identity to get the support they need. LGBTQIA+ clients may also feel uncomfortable sharing their sexual orientation or gender identity with service providers or other clients in a group setting and may intentionally avoid discussing the gender of their partner.
Service provider bias can also lead to difficulties in accessing services, particularly for men and gender non-conforming people who present as more masculine than their partner and are assumed not to be victims. Similarly, women who experience abuse by female partners may not have the abuse taken as seriously when reaching out to resources, including law enforcement, medical providers, and victim service professionals. Many programs serving people impacted by sexual and domestic violence provide services that are also gender specific, which may not be safe for people in relationships with same-gender partners or nonbinary people who do not identify as a man or a woman.
How to Ally Yourself to LGBTQIA+ Survivors and Families
In our work with individuals and families impacted by sexual and domestic violence, it is important to know the unique challenges those who identify as LGBTQIA+ face. Knowledge is power. When we understand those unique challenges, everyone can be more effective in supporting, advocating, and safety planning with those who identify as LGBTQIA+.
If you do not identify as someone with an LGBTQIA+ identity, there are still many ways you can ally yourself to the LGBTQIA+ community. Being a good ally starts with listening to the people you want to help and asking, “How can I help?” We believe when working with our clients that all people are the experts on their own experience, and that is true for everyone, whatever their identity. If someone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ tells you something you or someone else said or did is harmful to them or their community, listen to them, believe them, and do some of your own research about why.
You can also ally yourself to the community by staying informed and deepening your understanding of LGBTQIA+-related issues. Being an ally is more than wearing a pride flag; it’s about showing up and advocating for equality. As we talked about in our May article, one small action you can take is to share your pronouns in your email signature, your Zoom name, and when meeting people in person for the first time. This is a way to normalize pronoun use and can make transgender and gender-nonconforming people feel safer when sharing their own pronouns. Another way to ally yourself is to speak up if someone says something homophobic or repeats a myth they believe about transgender people. Allying yourself to a community means being willing to have uncomfortable conversations to educate others and supporting LGBTQIA+ people, even when they aren’t around.
The LGBTQIA+ community faces specific and significant barriers to living safe and healthy lives free from violence of all kinds. As advocates, you can play a role in making a safer world for everyone. Take some time to learn more with our resources.
Resources
- Here’s What a Good LGBTQ Ally Looks Like
- LGBTQ Survivors of Sexual Violence
- Domestic Violence and the LGBTQ Community
- Pronouns Matter
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