30th May 2023

Pride Month 2023

in Awareness Raising, Blog

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June is Pride month – a month dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ communities all around the world.

As well as a time for celebration, Pride also offers an opportunity to reflect on and raise awareness of issues affecting LGBTQ+ people. It is estimated that more than one in four gay men and lesbian women, and more than one in three bisexual people, have experienced at least one form of domestic abuse since the age of 16. While lesbian women report similar rates of domestic abuse to that of heterosexual women, gay and bisexual men might be twice as likely to experience domestic abuse compared to heterosexual men. Similarly, bisexual women are twice as likely to disclose intimate partner violence compared to heterosexual women. Evidence also suggests prevalence rates of domestic abuse may be higher for transgender people than any other section of the population.

Whilst lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender survivors’ experiences are not homogenous, additional factors often underpin the complexity of issues LGBTQ+ survivors face.

LGBTQ+ survivors’ experiences may include the following abusive behaviours:

Intimidation and threats of disclosure of sexual orientation and gender identity to family, friends, work colleagues, community and others.
Disclosing gender history, sexual orientation or HIV status without consent.
Undermining sense of sexual and/or gender identity/selfexpression, or making a person feel guilty or ashamed of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Blaming a person for identifying as LGBTQ+ or for causing the discrimination they have experienced.
Limiting or controlling access to LGBTQ+ spaces or resources.
The abuser may isolate the abused from contact with the LGBTQ+ community by preventing them from attending LGBTQ+ venues or events or seeing friends from within the community.
The abuser might use immigration law to threaten with deportation to the country of origin, which might be unsafe due to e.g. anti-gay legislation.

LGBTQ+ survivors may also be coerced or manipulated to believe:

That no help or support is available to them because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, or that for this reason, they deserve the abuse.
Societal misconceptions of what constitutes LGBTQ+ domestic abuse, leading some survivors to not recognise and acknowledge their experience as domestic abuse

Support is available

You can reach out to us for support at any time via 03300 564456.

We understand that many LGBTQ+ survivors prefer to receive support for domestic abuse in an LGBTQ+ specific environment. We recognise that we can only grow and learn by listening to those with lived experience, and thank these organisations and projects for amplifying the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans survivors:

GALOP

Galop works directly with thousands of LGBTQ+ people who have experienced abuse and violence every year, specialising in supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, and other forms of abuse including honour-based abuse, forced marriage, and so-called conversion therapies.

They are a service run by LGBTQ+ people, for LGBTQ+people, and the needs of this community are at the centre of what they do.

Galop runs four national support helplines: one for LGBTQ+ victims and survivors of domestic abuse, one for LGBTQ+ people who have experienced hate crime, one for LGBTQ+ victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse, and the other for victims and survivors of so-called conversion therapies and practices. They also provide advocacy support for LGBTQ+ victims who need longer-term support.

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