This epidemic of sexual violence in the LGBTQ+ community is something we must all work together to address. If someone discloses to you that they have been sexually assaulted, remember to believe them, reassure them that it wasn’t their fault, keep their disclosure confidential (unless the situation requires mandatory reporting), and never pressure them for more information than they want to share.
For LGBTQ survivors of sexual assault, their identities – and the discrimination they face surrounding those identities – often make them hesitant to seek help from police, hospitals, shelters or rape crisis centers, the very resources that are supposed to help them.
Eighty-five percent of victim advocates surveyed by the NCAVP reported having worked with an LGBTQ survivor who was denied services because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
For LGBTQ survivors of sexual assault, their identities – and the discrimination they face surrounding those identities – often make them hesitant to seek help from police, hospitals, shelters or rape crisis centers, the very resources that are supposed to help them.
Eighty-five percent of victim advocates surveyed by the NCAVP reported having worked with an LGBTQ survivor who was denied services because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Statistics on LGBTQIA violence and understanding the issues surrounding this are provided by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Institute for Women's Policy Research:
Within the LGBT community, transgender people and bisexual women face the most alarming rates of sexual violence. Among both of these populations, sexual violence begins early, often during childhood.
- 44% of lesbians and 61% of bisexual women experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 35% of heterosexual women.(3)
- 26% of gay men and 37% of bisexual men experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 29% of heterosexual men.(3)
- 46% of bisexual women have been raped, compared to 17% of heterosexual women and 13% of lesbians.(3)
- 22% of bisexual women have been raped by an intimate partner, compared to 9% of heterosexual women.(3)
- 40% of gay men and 47% of bisexual men have experienced sexual violence other than rape, compared to 21% of heterosexual men.(3)
Within the LGBT community, transgender people and bisexual women face the most alarming rates of sexual violence. Among both of these populations, sexual violence begins early, often during childhood.
- Nearly half (48%) of bisexual women who are rape survivors experienced their first rape between ages 11 and 17.(3)
- 64% of trans people who will experience sexual assault in their lifetimes. (1)
- Among transgender racial minorities, 24% of transgender American Indians, 18% of transgender people who identified as multiracial, 17% of transgender Asians, and 15% of Black transgender respondents experienced sexual assault in K-12 education settings – much higher rates than students of other races. Transgender women respondents experienced sexual assault more often than their transgender male peers.(3)
- 1.8 is the amount of times trans people of color are more likely to experience sexual violence than the general population.(4)
- 21% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have been sexually assaulted, compared to 18% of non-TGQN females, and 4% of non-TGQN males.(2)
The National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that among those transgender respondents who had interacted with police(1):
- 6% had been physically assaulted
- 2% had been sexually assaulted by police
- Among black transgender people being assaulted by police:
- 15% reported physical assault
- 7% reported sexual assault
The SASC does not discriminate against survivors. If you or a loved one would like assistance from the Center, please contact us!
Remember, you are never alone in this.
Remember, you are never alone in this.
References:
- Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey
- David Cantor, Bonnie Fisher, Susan Chibnall, Reanna Townsend, et. al. Association of American Universities (AAU), Report on the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct (September 21, 2015).
- NISVS: An Overview of 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/cdc_nisvs_victimization_final-a.pdf
- National Coalition of Anti-Violence Prevention
