Domestic Violence is a Queer and Trans Public Health Issue
Each year we recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Throughout the month, activists and organizers try to bring awareness to those who have been impacted by domestic and interpersonal violence, give them a place to tell their stories, and hopefully inspire change.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) defines domestic violence as “the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.”
According to studies conducted by the Center for Disease Control and the National Center for Transgender Equality, 1 in 4 women, 1 in 9 men, and 1 in 2 trans people will experience domestic violence (DV), or intimate partner violence (IPV), in their lifetimes.
At STAR, we specialize in working with survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones, and these two topics often intertwine. We also recognize that statistics regarding trans and non-binary people are often not completely representative, as their identities may not be represented in the polls, and not as many studies have been conducted at as large of a scale as for cis-gender people.
The exclusion of trans and non-binary people from sociological studies, community polls, national statistics, or any other form of a qualitative and quantitative assessment of violence (or any issue, for that matter) is a form of systemic oppression.
IPV affects all populations, regardless of race, gender, income, and sexual orientation. Abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, and/or financial. Abuse has many forms, including, for example, stalking, public humiliation, the invasion of privacy, forced isolation from family and friends, forbidding a person to work, and withholding money. There is no type that of abuse that is better or worse than another.
The National Network to End Domestic Violence has a list of warning signs that can help a person identify DV. If one or two of these appears in a relationship, it is not necessarily an abusive relationship. But they could be areas in a relationship that need work. Some red flags for abusive partners include:
- A person wanting to move quickly in a relationship
- A partner insisting that you stop spending time with friends or family, keeping you to themselves
- A partner who criticizes you; puts you down, and/or calls you names
- A partner who takes your money, gives you a set allowance, or runs up your credit card
- Someone that does not take responsibility for their own actions and behaviors, blames others
- Someone that has a history of abusing others
The characteristics listed above are things that may be found in many different types of relationships. However, there are also ways that IPV shows itself in specific ways based on the identities of the abuser and victim. This includes the LGBTQ+ community. Those who are in same-sex relationships are just as likely to find themselves in an abusive relationship as a heterosexual couple. Here are some specific warning signs and tactics that may be used:
- Threatening to “out” a partner, or disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to family, friends, work, or others; this could cause isolation, psychological harm, and even be dangerous depending upon who they are threatening to tell
- Refusing to use a partner’s name or pronouns and/or demeaning them and their identity
- Threatening that law enforcement will not believe them
- If the couple has children, threatening that they will be taken away or removed; state laws regarding adoption and parent rights vary and in many same-sex relationships one of the parents may not be included in the documentation
Below is the Power and Control Wheel for LGBTQ+ Survivors that outlines additional abusive behaviors.
In addition to these warning signs, there are specific barriers that may impact someone in a queer relationship from seeking assistance. The political and religious climate in Louisiana, for example, can cause people to be hostile towards queer and trans people, and it may be difficult for survivors to trust that organizations or law enforcement will be queer and trans-friendly. For queer and trans people of color, especially, there may be a lack of trust that law enforcement will listen and be a safe option for them to utilize. Additionally, in states like Louisiana, LGBTQ+ communities can be small and tight-knit. With this, there may be added concerns about becoming isolated from the community by leaving their partner or seeking assistance. These additional barriers can make it even more difficult to make the already challenging process of leaving a partner.
Because of the prevalence of this issue and the unique barriers it causes for the LGBTQ+ community, it is critical for service providers to educate themselves on the oppression faced by LGBTQ+ people and make it publicly known that they support and serve queer and trans survivors. It is never a victim’s fault for being in the place that they are, and it is the responsibility of the community to support, validate, and address the problems facing every victim. As a community, we can hold spaces accountable for being inclusive! These spaces include, but are not limited to, mental health spaces, domestic violence shelters and organizations, physician offices, law enforcement spaces, and legal aid offices.
People with marginalized identities are taught through personal or shared experiences that the systems people need to thrive are not safe, as they were not designed with their safety in mind. It is the collective responsibility of community members and those who shape our systems to make them inclusive.
As we remember and recognize those who are impacted by IPV this October, let’s make sure that we continue to be critical of our existing systems and inclusive to all identities that are affected.
If you or someone that you know is in an abusive relationship, or seeking additional information here are a few organizations to contact:
Louisiana Specific Support
LGBTQ+ crisis line for minors and young adults ages 10–25
- Trevor LifeLine: 1–866–488–7386
- TrevorText: Text START to 678–678
LGBTQ+ crisis hotlines for all ages
- Trans Lifeline (primarily for transgender people struggling with identity): 1–877–565–8860
Non- LGBTQ+-specific crisis lines
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1–800–799–7233
- Crisis Text line: Text TALK to 741–741
- STAR Hotline: (225)383–7273
