Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center

Information > Sexual Assault > LGBT Survivors

People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, and also as survivors of sexual assault face not only the barriers to seeking help that all survivors face, but also a range of obstacles that are unique to the LGBT community.

THE EXPERIENCE OF LGBT SURVIVORS : (roll over each point for more information)

• Like all survivors, LGBT survivors often feel self-blame, shame, fear, anger, and depression.
• LGBT survivors may feel ostracized.
• Transgender people may not want to seek hospital care.
• LGBT survivors may feel punished for acting outside of society’s prescribed gender roles.
• LGBT survivors may be reluctant to tell family and friends who do not approve of their lifestyle.
• LGBT survivors may have privacy concerns within their LGBT community.
• LGBT survivors may lack support not only from their communities.
• LGBT survivors who do choose to come forward face a range of difficulties that heterosexual survivors do not face.
• There is often heterosexism and homophobia in the systems that are designed to help survivors.

COMMON MYTHS: (roll over each myth to see the reality)

• A woman can’t rape another woman.
• Gay men are sexually promiscuous and are always ready for sex.
• Bisexuals are kinky anyway, and sexual assault for them is just rough sex that got out of hand.
• When a woman claims domestic abuse by another women, it is just a catfight. Similarly, when a man claims domestic abuse by another man, it is just two men fighting.

As with all cases of sexual assault, these myths can only be dispelled when they are replaced by truth. This requires that members of the LGBT community and heterosexual allies speak out and acknowledge sexual assault and domestic violence within the LGBT community, in order to both prevent future assaults and to provide competent and compassionate care to survivors.

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Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness : : Phone (734) 998-9368 : : MRC (800) 649-3777 : : email SAPAC
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