1. LGBT* experience of Domestic Violence & Abuse Peter Kelley June Copyright ©Galop Galop Unit 2G Leroy House 436 Essex Road London N1 3QP (office (helpline)

2. About this session GBT men & Domestic Abuse Experiences of DVA
Barriers to accessing help
Perpetrator issues
Case study

3. About Galop
Galop is London’s LGBT* community safety voluntary organisation
Lead Partner of the LGBT* Domestic Abuse Partnership
Unique Service working with LGBT* victims/survivors of violence and abuse

4. LGBT* Domestic Abuse Partnership
Pan-London specialist LGBT* service
Helpline advice and support
DV advocacy service
Counselling
Housing advice and advocacy
Access to other specialist services

5. Sexual and gender diversity
Identities
Sexual and gender diversity
gender identity/ expression
Cisgender man
trans man
non-binary
transvestite
sexual orientation
gay
bisexual
heterosexual
identity
______
expression
Sexual orientation – who you fancy – romantic – sexual
Gender identity – internal sense of who you are – Can be different to gender assigned at birth or how you appear
Everyone has both

6. About LGBT* community 1.7% of adults in England identified as LGB
3.2% of London
8% defined as non-heterosexual to GPs in healthcare settings
No reliable data on trans people <1%
20% people believe LGB relationships ‘to be wrong in principal’ (2013 Social Attitudes Survey)

7. GBT Domestic Abuse
Estimated 1 in 4 LGB people experience DVA (Donovan 2006) Figure higher for trans people
1.3% of DV survivors identified as LGB (Safer Lives, 2014)
none were trans
20% identified as gay
0.7% high risk MARAC cases LGBT*
0.3% MPS DVA cases flagged as LGBT*

8. GBT men contacting the LGBT* DAP
70% contacts are gay/bi men
5-10% are trans, non-binary or other – though few trans men
Most gay/bi men experiencing violence from intimate gay/bi male partners
Smaller number experiencing violence within a family context including HBV/forced marriage
Complex/intersectional risks/needs – e.g. around identity, substance misuse, mental health
Other forms of abuse/violence – i.e. sexual violence, stalking, etc.

9. GBT Domestic Abuse DVA disproportionately affects women and girls
LGBT* DVA absent from the ‘public story’ of gender based violence (Donovan & Hester 2010)
Historically GBT experiences minimised both within LGBT* communities and within society
Few GBT men experienced working with GBT survivors/perps & little best practice evidence
GBT experiences go unrecognised, sensationalised or lack understanding

10. Recent examples of murders of GBT men
Deaths of 4 gay men in Barking & Dagenham ( )
Murder of Gordon Semple in Southwark (2016)
Murder of Michael Polding Brighton (2012)

11. Unique forms of GBT DVA
Abused, threatened & controlled because of your identity
Being outed, including using social media/apps
Disclosing HIV status
Ostracised by family/community
Threats to men on spousal visas/racism/discrimination
Sexual violence
Use of chems

12. GBT perpetrator issues
Perps can use victim’s identity against them in order to isolate/control them
Counter allegations as a way of preventing action by the CJS and others
Sometimes easier to access services and present as a victim/survivor
Perpetrators are also vulnerable – e.g. substance misuse, risk of suicide/self harm.
Currently no organisation working with LGBT* perpetrators

13. Exercise: Who is the victim/survivor?

14. Myths and stereotypes Gender normativity
Gender equity – idea of mutual abuse
Physical size, age, class, ethnicity
Homo/biphobia & masculinity
Transphobia – trans men as ‘imposters’

15. Barriers to getting help
GBT relationships can present differently
‘Same-sex’ DVA not always applicable to all trans men
Victim doesn’t recognise or minimises DVA
Services aren’t accessible to GBT men
It can be more challenging to identify victim/perp e.g. when there are counter-allegations

16. Barriers to getting help
Accessing support requires disclosing identity (affected by secrecy/silence)
Secondary victimisation
Social isolation/few relationship role models
May not show as high risk e.g. DASH
Complex cases - substance misuse & mental health

17. Case study What are the issues being presented?
What are potential victim/ perpetrator issues?
What are the barriers to getting help?

18. Useful Contacts & Resources
Galop’s website has lots of information, including the PDF of the ‘Shining the Light’ document:
See also
For specific questions and referrals, contact: