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Awareness in the LGBTQ Community

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By Ellen Parsons

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and here at the Women’s Center we have several projects going on to help raise awareness of the severity of the issue- including the “I’m Anti Violence…” Photo Campaign during LGBT History Month. This campaign seeks to raise awareness of violence against LGBTQ people, which  is oftentimes overlooked or thought as nonexistent when the topic of domestic violence is brought up.

Pride photo by infomatique on Flickr

The statistics on domestic violence against LGBTQ people can be quite shocking: according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, rates of domestic violence for gay men couples mirror that of domestic violence against women and the statistics. In one year, 44% of victims in LGBTQ domestic violence cases identified as men and 36% identified as women. It is estimated that 50% of lesbians will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. In addition, 78% of lesbians report that they have either defended themselves from or fought back against an abusive partner. Statistics on those who are transgender are even harder to find on the topic of domestic violence (as are any statistics on LGBTQ who are not primarily middle class, white, etc.) and the best summary I can find on the topic can be found here.

With this said, abuse against LGBTQ people is similar to, yet different from that of non-LGBTQ people. In addition to the physical, sexual, emotion, and financial abuse that can take place in relationships, one can use the others identity status against them by threatening to “out them” in social circles they do not want to come out to. LGBTQ people have to worry, further, about how police officers, teachers, counselors, and other service providers (who are often not trained to deal with this kind of thing) will react. The lack of coverage on this topic may make LGBTQ people think that what is happening is not abuse, and oftentimes LGBTQ people with children may have to worry about their children being taken away by the courts if they are forcibly outed by reporting. In addition, transgender people oftentimes are excluded from shelters that are oftentimes male and female based, so they may be denied access due to their gender status.

All of this is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to talking about domestic violence in the LGBTQ community. I find it really unfortunate that the conservation around domestic violence often revolves solely around middle class, heterosexual, white women. As I mentioned before, domestic violence is not just an issue for one group of people, it affects all of us.

Want to show that you are “Anti-Violence?” Come partake in the Women’s Center “I’m Anti Violence…” Photo Campaign During LGBT History Month this October.

For more information and to keep updated, be sure to visit and ‘like’ the UMKC Violence Prevention and Response Project!