1. Equation

2. Additional risk considerations for LGBT people experiencing domestic abuse

3. What is the estimated national population of LGBT+ people in England
What is the estimated national population of LGBT+ people in England? (as a percentage).
2.5 – 5.8

4. What does MARAC stand for? What is it?
Multi-agency meeting that considers high risk domestic abuse cases that shares information and put in place a series of actions to mitigate risk.
High risk of serious injury, harm or death
Multi-agency risk assessment conference

5. In the 12 months to the end of March 2018 what was the percentage of survivors heard at MARAC who were LGBT+ (nationally)?
SafeLives recommend 2.5 %
1.2 %

6. How many LGBT+ survivors were heard at Nottingham MARAC in the period 17/18?
14 cases 2%

7. What percentage of LGBT+ people were identified as having experiencing domestic abuse in the previous year?
11%

8. What does DASH RIC stand for?
Domestic Abuse Stalking, Harassment and Honour Based Abuse Risk Indicator Checklist

9. Definitions
Survivor
Perpetrator
LGBTQ+
MARAC
DASH RIC

10. DEFINITION (Home Office – March 2013)
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse:
 psychological
 physical
 sexual
 financial
 emotional

11. Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.”*
*This definition includes so called 'honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group.

12. LGBT+ survivors and domestic abuse
- Highly unlikely to go to the police – less than 9%
- Even less likely to use mainstream specialist DVA
- After friends most likely to use counsellors and therapists: NHS private, or third sector
- Between 22% and 40% told no-one
 Fear not being believed, understood, taken seriously
 Fear being discriminated against or partner being discriminated against
 Fears about being outed / confidentiality
(Donovan and Hester, 2014, Donovan et al., 2014)

13. Why introduce additional considerations for LGBT+?
Current risk assessments (DASH RIC) have been compiled largely on the experiences of heterosexual women
They don’t reflect some of the additional factors that might increase risk for LGBT+ survivors
Less than 1% of survivors referred to MARAC nationally are LGBT+ year in year out
Nottingham DASH RIC now incorporates a link to the Additional Considerations within the DASH RIC – page 3 - Sexual orientation
If the survivor is LGBT please complete the LGBT professional Judgement risk indicator & the DASH RIC

14. When to use the additional risk considerations.
When you work with or have contact with a survivor and they are in a relationship with someone of the same sex or
They are trans and are experiencing abuse or have experienced abuse from a current or former partner or
They are LGBT+ and have experienced intimate or partner violence from an ex-partner of the same or different gender/ sex
They are experiencing, are at risk of or have experienced abuse from their family

15. The form This form has 19 special considerations They include:
Specific risks posed by the perpetrator or perpetrators
Characteristics of the individual
Specifics about the relationship
Specific forms of abuse

16. What are the factors?
The factors were compiled following a piece of work by ROAR Project, LGBT DAF, Stonewall Housing Project and piloted as part of their Advocacy Service

17. Understanding the terminology

18. Questions about the client
Is your gender the same as that you were assigned at birth?
Do you identify as intersex or non-binary?
Preferred Pronoun

19. Difference between sex and gender
Sex – biological and physiological considerations
such as the genitalia and genetic differences
Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men – such as norms, roles and relationships of and between groups of women and men. It varies from society to society and can be changed

20. GENDER
the state of being male or female with reference to socially and culturally defined characteristics of masculinity or femininity
Collins Dictionary
Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men – such as norms, roles and relationships of and between groups of women and men. It varies from society to society and can be changed - WHO

21. Worldwide, up to 1.7% of people have intersex traits, roughly the same proportion of the population who have red hair, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The British charity DSD Families estimates that around 130 babies born in this country each year need investigations before their sex is assigned.
Other people may have problems with their hormones that aren’t visible at birth.
Intersex
An estimated one in 2,000 babies is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not fit the typical definitions of female or male. This can include atypical genitalia, chromosomes or internal sex organs

22. Non - Binary
Anyone who identifies as non-binary or genderqueer therefore views their gender as being beyond these confinements.
Non-binary people may also identify as transgender which means their internal experience of gender differs from the one they were assigned at birth
The gender binary is the idea that there are only two possible genders - male and female.

23. Good Practice to ask someone who identifies as Trans/ Non-Binary their preferred pronoun

24. Preferred Pronoun

25. Factors and Considerations

26. Q1
Research into domestic abuse in same sex relationships has consistently found this to be a risk factor.
Perpetrators often using their experience as part of the abuse and to isolate the survivor.
Is this your first relationship since identifying as an LGB and/or T person?

27. Colin was 32 when he came out having had no relationships
Colin was 32 when he came out having had no relationships. His first (and only) relationship was with somebody of 21 who had been out for 4/5 years:
I would say, ‘I want to be in a loving or a caring relationship and I want us to get married in the future and settle down’. And he’s like, ‘You don’t have a clue. You don’t know how the LGBT community works. That’s not real-life. You’re living in some kind of straight utopia. That’s not the way that it works and that’s not the way that the scene works.’ It was, ‘You’ve got a lot to learn. You’ve got a lot to be aware of’” (Colin, white gay man, 37 years old)

28. Q6
G - GHB or Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (C4H8O3) is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant.
TINA - Methamphetamine - Crystal Meth.
Methadrone -Mephedrone (sometimes called ‘meow meow’, M-Cat) is a powerful stimulant
These three drugs are particularly associated with the CHEMSEX scene.
Do you use non-prescription drugs/chems (G, Tina, Methadrone etc) alcohol?
Do you have concerns about consent when using drugs/chems/ alcohol?
Does (...) coerce you into using chems/ alcohol?

29. Chem Sex
ChemSex is a term that is used when people are having sex, which involves using one or more of three specific drugs (chems) in any combination. People take part in ChemSex for a number of different reasons, some find it increases sexual stimulation, for other people it can reduce their inhibitions.
ChemSex can take place in groups, and it can often last for days or over a weekend

30. Corrective Behaviours
Q14
Conversion therapy
Corrective rape
Exorcism
Talisman
Corrective Behaviours
Have you ever experienced or been threatened with:
conversion therapies / corrective rape / exorcisms/ talisman/ corrective behaviours

31. “Corrective rape”
Corrective rape is a hate crime in which one or more people are raped because of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The common intended consequence of the rape, as seen by the perpetrator, is to punish and force the person to be heterosexual or to enforce conformity with gender stereotypes.[1][

32. Exorcism / talisman
Gay exorcisms (or homosexual exorcisms[1]), similar to demonic exorcisms, are where an exorcist evicts "homosexual demons"[2] or other spiritual entities from an LGBT individual. These exorcisms are intended to "remove" homosexuality from an individual.

33. Conversion therapy
Conversion therapy (or ‘cure’ therapy or reparative therapy) refers to any form of treatment or psychotherapy which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or to suppress a person’s gender identity. It is based on an assumption that being lesbian, gay, bi or trans is a mental illness that can be ‘cured’. These therapies are both unethical and harmful.
In the UK, all major counselling and psychotherapy bodies, as well as the NHS, have concluded that conversion therapy is dangerous and have condemned it by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (PDF).

34. Q11 Does (…….) identify as Lesbian  Gay Bisexual Heterosexual Trans
Lesbian 
Gay
Bisexual
Heterosexual
Trans
Intersex
Non-binary
Cisgender
How does the perpetrator identify?

35. Cisgender
People who are not transgender: they experience a match between their bodies, personal identity and the gender they were assigned at birth
Transgender: of, relating to, or being a person whose gender identity differs from the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth

36. Q15 71 Countries it is illegal to be homosexual
9 countries homosexuality is openly punishable by the death penalty
In other Countries though not illegal it is still dangerous to be openly gay
Has ( ) threatened you with being taken out of the country to a place where there is an increased risk due to your sexuality/gender identity?
Is a report to the Home Office a concern?

37. Glossary
A terms document is embedded into the DASH RIC to assist in understanding all of the different elements

38. Challenges to utilising the form
Understanding the content – both for the client and the worker
Set aside time to identify simple ways to explain some of the considerations (maybe in a team meeting)
Time of utilising an additional form

39. Benefits of knowing the additional considerations
Increases understanding of the potential experiences and risks for LGBT+ survivors
Increases LGBT+ survivors confidence that services are able to recognise and understand their experiences
Enables workers to identify and understand any additional support needs of the survivor

40. Resources and referral pathways
Equation Men’s Service
Domestic violence and sexual violence specialist services locally
Galop helpline
MARAC
Equation referral pathways

41. Final Word