LGBTQ Intimate Partner Violence

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LGBTQ Intimate Partner Violence
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Agenda

• Examine cultural messages about LGBTQ
  relationships
• Examine myths and misconceptions of IPV in LGBTQ
  relationships
• Learn about unique tactics of abusing partners
• Learn about barriers to accessing services for
  survivors
• Tips for Counselors and Service Providers

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Privilege and Heterosexism

• Privilege
• The unearned benefits one receives by virtue of
  membership in a particular social group
• Heterosexism
• Assume that everyone is heterosexual/heterosexual
  ity is preferential
• Believe that LGBTQ relationships are immoral
  and/or do not make valuable contributions to
  society
• LGBTQ parents do not parent as well as
  heterosexual parents

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Homophobia, Bi-Phobia, Transphobia

• Irrational fears of lesbian, bisexual,
  trans-identified, genderqueer individuals
• Fears often based in individual beliefs,
  prejudices, negative stereotypes
• Misinformation, lack of information, education
• Beliefs used to justify name-calling, bullying,
  violence, abuse, discrimination, forced
  incarceration, forced psychiatric treatment,
  deprivation of civil rights
• Beliefs can become weapons in the arsenals of
  LGBTQ abusers

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What Homophobia, Bi-Phobia, Transphobia creates
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IPV Statistics

• 25-33 of LGBTQ people experience partner abuse
  in their lifetime.
• National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
  2013 report
• 2,697 reports of intimate partner violence, an
  increase of .67 from 2012
• 21 reported IPV-related homicides
• 50.2 of survivors were people of color
• Transgender survivors were 1.9 times more likely
  to experience physical violence and 2.5 times
  more likely to experience IPV in public spaces

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IPV Statistics

• NCAVP 2013 report cont.
• Bisexual survivors were 1.6 times more likely to
  experience sexual violence and 2.2 times more
  likely to experience physical violence
• Young LGBTQ adults (ages 19-29) were 2.6 times
  more likely to experience sexual violence in IPV
  relationships
• Young LGBTQ adults were also 1.4 times more
  likely to experience injury as a result of IPV
  and 1.7 times more likely to require medical
  attention

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Myths about IPV in the LGBTQ community

• MYTH Abusers are men victims are women.
• MYTH Abusers are usually bigger, stronger and
  more butch than their partners.
• MYTH LGBT individuals being abused can more
  easily leave their partners due to absence of
  legal ties.

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Myths about IPV in the LGBTQ community

• MYTH LGBT IPV is mutual.
• MYTH The length of the relationship or living
  situation determines what is considered abuse.
• MYTH Women abusers are less physically abusive
  than men abusers.

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What can make IPV in the LGBTQ community unique?

• With little to no societal validation of LGBTQ
  individuals, people in a survivors life may not
  even recognize that the survivor is in a
  relationship, much less that s/he is being
  abused.
• Many people are closeted and cannot turn to
  friends, family, faith communities, or employers
  for support.
• Homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia do some of
  the batterers work for them by isolating the
  survivor, destroying their self-esteem, and
  convincing them that no one will help them
  because of their sexual orientation and/or gender
  identity.
• Clients may feel they are coming out a second
  time, as they come out as being abused to others.
  

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What can make IPV in the LGBTQ community unique?

• There is a greater likelihood of no arrest,
  wrongful arrest, or dual arrest when calling the
  police, and no restraining order or dual
  restraining orders given by judges.
• There are fewer resources available for LGBTQ
  survivors.
• There is a lack of screening to determine who the
  abuser is and who the survivor is by police,
  courts, support groups, shelters, and other
  services.
• There may be LGBTQ community pressure not to air
  dirty laundry about partner abuse or to use the
  legal system.

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What can make IPV in the LGBTQ community unique?
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Barriers to Services for LGBTQ Survivors of IPV
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Tips for Service Providers

• Use gender-inclusive and gender- neutral language
  in order to open doors to all survivors.
• Mirror a persons language.
• Be aware of your own biases.
• Dont ask invasive questions about someones
  body.

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Tips for Service Providers

• Be mindful of clients level of being out,
  especially when connecting the person to
  community resources.
• Pay attention for LGBTQ-specific abuse tactics.
• If children are involved, they may be concerned
  about outing their parents or be concerned about
  others not understanding their situation.
• Do not assume getting an Order of Protection is a
  good idea partners likely response and ability
  of client must be assessed.

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Tips for Service Providers

• Help clients assess possible costs
  (homophobia/transphobia) and benefits of seeking
  IPV services in the community.
• Help clients assess potential costs (silencing,
  victim-blaming) and benefits (possible support)
  by disclosing abuse in LGBTQ community.

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Tips for Service Providers

• In New York State, the Expanded Access Law was
  passed in 2008, allowing same-sex dating couples
  access to Family Court and civil orders of
  protection, regardless of whether they lived
  together or have a child together.
• LGBTQ community may be small, so safety planning
  needs to be very intentional, especially as some
  services or events may include individuals known
  to the abuser.
• Be familiar with LGBTQ-friendly services within
  your area that may be needed, such as an
  LGBTQ-affirming attorney for legal issues.
• Promote LGBTQ-specific programs for IPV to
  increase awareness.

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Tips For Service Providers

• Only ask in complete privacy separate from
  partner
• Assure confidentiality
• Present IPV Screening as a routine procedure
  e.g., There are some routine questions we ask
  all our clients , because many of them are in
  relationships where they are afraid their
  partners may hurt them. Is this a concern for
  you? Are you ever afraid of your partner?

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Tips for Service Providers

• Do not ask Are you a victim of domestic
  violence?
• Clients may view victim as stigmatizing
• label, think what they experience is not
• bad enough to be considered abuse,
• view DV/IPV as a heterosexual
• phenomenon

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Tips for Service Providers

• Ask short, concrete, behavioral questions.
• Does your partner.hit, hurt, criticize,
  manipulate, or try to scare you?
• How might your partner respond if he/she knew
  your HIV status?
• Has your partner ever disrespected you because of
  your gender identity?
• Has your partner ever interfered with transition
  when he/she was angry (e.g., not
• allowing you to take hormones, or making you take
  too many medications in hopes
• to feminize or masculinize you quicker)?

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References

• The Network la Red www.tnlr.org
• New York City Gay Lesbian Anti Violence Project
  www.avp.org
• Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
  www.opdv.state.ny.us
• Additional Resources
• www.pridecenterwny.org
• www.transequality.org