Anyone can become a victim of domestic abuse, including individuals in the LGBTQ+ community.
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), released a report noting that 58% of survivors in the LGBTQ+ community, 10% of them reported that an ex-lover or partner instigated the violence against them.
Barriers to Leaving Abuse
With IPV, it can be difficult for a victim to leave their abuser because they fear the abuser will inflict more harm on them or their family. Victims can even feel ashamed and responsible for the violence.
Abusers may control their victims by instigating abuse physically, emotionally, sexually, financially, indirectly, and in many other ways. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, an abuser may use more LGBTQ+ specific emotional abuse that involve the victim’s sexuality and/or gender identity, including:
- ‘Outing’ a partner’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Abusive partners in LGBTQ+ relationships may threaten to ‘out’ victims to family members, employers, and community members.
- Saying that no one will help the victim because s/he/they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, or the partner ‘deserves’ the abuse.
- Justifying the abuse with the notion that a partner is not “really” lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender because they believe differently.
- Monopolizing support resources through an abusive partner’s manipulation of friends and family.
- For victims in the trans community, the abuser may focus specifically on questioning the victim’s true gender identity.
You are not alone
Asking for help and support can be difficult. Especially if the victim is worried about the risks of outing themselves to family, friends, and other members of the community.
If you are a member of the LGBTQ community and have had an abusive partner, you are not alone. You deserve to have healthy and safe relationships.
Consider contacting your local LGBTQ center for information on support groups and individual counseling. A counselor must maintain confidentiality and can be especially helpful if s/he/they are trained in LGBTQ domestic violence issues.
There are many websites and social media accounts devoted to supporting members of the LGBTQ community who are victims of domestic violence:
Anti-Violence Project – Provides resources for counseling and advocacy for survivor members of the LGBTQ community and HIV-affected communities.
LGBT National Help Center – A free online resource for confidential peer support and local support centers.
Trans Lifeline – A hotline for any transgender person in need, available 18 hours per day.
The Trevor Project – A resource and hotline for LGBTQ youth in crisis. They also post empowering and helpful information on social media daily.
BTSADV Support Line (855-BTS-1777) – Resource hotline that provides resources in your local community and be a listening ear.
Donate to BTSADV today and help survivors THRIVE!
Share your own story and Break Your Silence!
