1. Recognise & Respond: Strengthening advocacy for LGBT+ survivors of domestic abuse Jasna Magić /

2. LGBT+ domestic abuse

3. Disclose similar or higher rates of domestic abuse to that of cis/heterosexual women.
Face abuse from both intimate partners and family members.
Experience abuse linked to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Not a homogenous group.
Face multiple barriers in access to services.
Present with higher levels of risk and complex needs compared to cis/heterosexual v/s.
LGBT+ survivors:
Explain that there are no national monitors disaggregating data by sexual orientation and gender identity, but that the current studies show

4. Statistics Prevalence for LGBT+ people:
2018: 29% of all LGBT+ respondents disclosed an incident involving someone they lived with because they identified as LGBT (GEO Survey)
2011: 49% of all gay/bi men disclosed at least one incident of domestic abuse from a family member or partner since the age of 16. (Stonewall)
2008: 25% of lesbian and bi women disclosed domestic abuse from a current partner. (Stonewall)
Prevalence for trans people:
2018: 28% of all trans respondents disclosed intimate partner violence a year prior to study taking place (Stonewall)
Statistics
I wanted to share some of the statistic to better visualise the statement around prevalence. There are many challenges when we dicuss statistics around LGBT+ domestic abuse. Frist being there are no national monitors, Crime Survey for England and Wales, does not disaggregate data, t our knowledge Greater Manchester Police is currenrly the only police in the the country that systematically records LGBT dva and the studies that exist use varied methods of data collection and analysis and are usually based on on small samples.
Despite the fact that domestic abuse is a huge problem for LGBT+ communities, LGBT+ survivors face a number of barriers on the level of service provision and delivery that considerably affect their decision to seeks help and support. On the level of service provision, the picture is the following

5. LGBT+ specialist service provision

6. LGBT+ specialist interventions
Small in numbers
Inconsistent, lack sustainability
None have been systematically documented or evaluated.
LGBT+ specialist interventions

7. LGBT+ specialist service provision
LGBT specialist Intervention
UK Refuges
Moving on from barriers on the level of service provision on to barriers on the level of service delivery

8. Barriers in access to services

9. Structural and cultural barriers
The way services are designed and delivered that may result in them being less accessible and welcoming for LGBT+ people.
Barriers

10. Structural/cultural barriers
Lack of visibility and representation of LGBT+ issues in internal policies, publicity materials, websites, annual reports…
Lack of referral pathways and knowledge of specialist services.
Myths and stereotypes around LGBT+ domestic abuse.
Minimising the risk experienced by LGBT+ survivors+.

11. Female perpetrators are less physically abusive.
Abuse in same sex relationships is a result of societal homophobia and heterosexism.
Female perpetrators are less physically abusive.
Lesbian women and gay men have equal power in a relationship, so the violence in same-sex relationships must be mutual.
Sexual abuse doesn’t happen in same-sex relationships; a woman cannot rape another woman and men cannot be raped.
A gay male victim will be smaller and more effeminate and abusive lesbian will be more masculine.
Gay men can more easily protect themselves.
It is easier for LGBT+ victims to leave abusive relationships, because, they are not married or don’t have children.

12. Addressing barriers

13. “We don’t have hard to reach women, we have hard to access services
“We don’t have hard to reach women, we have hard to access services. We need to change this.”

14. Thank you