Campus resources for LGBTQ community explained
By: Aditi Dubey
Issue date: 6/8/07 Section: News
Originally published: 6/8/07 at 4:29 AM EST
Last update: 6/8/07 at 4:29 AM EST
Originally published: 6/8/07 at 4:29 AM EST
Last update: 6/8/07 at 4:29 AM EST
Editor's note: This article is the final part of a four part series on sexual violence.
We are all aware of diversity, but recognizing it in terms of sexual orientation and providing acceptance and support can sometimes be difficult.
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Questioning individuals, also referred to as LGBT or LGBTQ, sometimes find themselves at a loss for support and resources in the event of sexual assault and victimization. According to the 2004 report of Federal Bureau of Investigation's Department of Justice, there were 1,482 reported victims of hate crimes, including 580 victims of assault, 389 victims of intimidation and one victim of murder. These crimes are often go unnoticed, leading to even lesser awareness about sexual violence in LGBTQ.
Another reason for this lack of awareness is a common perception that there really is no "violence" in same sex relationships. According to Lee Carpenter, the Legal Director at Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, there are a variety of reasons for this.
"One of the leading reasons, in my opinion, is the fact that the problem of domestic violence is usually framed as an expression of male oppression of women," Carpenter said. "The fact is that most domestic violence is actually male-on-female. I think it would be difficult to dispute that, and I wouldn't try. However, the common conception of domestic violence does leave out the possibility of its occurrence between people of the same sex."
Carpenter also said that another reason might be that LGBTQ themselves do not admit to sexual violence in their relationships.
"Our relationships are already pathologized in mainstream culture - they are made to seem abnormal and unhealthy," Carpenter said. "To admit that some same-sex relationships actually are less than healthy, can seem like a damaging and dangerous admission to some within the community."
"My own view is that because gay and lesbian couples are generally less visible than heterosexual couples in our society, so is any problems they may experience," Robert Schoenberg, director of LGBT center at the University of Pennsylvania, said. "It seems likely to me that conventional domestic abuse/violence counselors are generally less well-prepared to deal with gay and lesbian clients. This is another consequence of invisibility and heterosexism."
We are all aware of diversity, but recognizing it in terms of sexual orientation and providing acceptance and support can sometimes be difficult.
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Questioning individuals, also referred to as LGBT or LGBTQ, sometimes find themselves at a loss for support and resources in the event of sexual assault and victimization. According to the 2004 report of Federal Bureau of Investigation's Department of Justice, there were 1,482 reported victims of hate crimes, including 580 victims of assault, 389 victims of intimidation and one victim of murder. These crimes are often go unnoticed, leading to even lesser awareness about sexual violence in LGBTQ.
Another reason for this lack of awareness is a common perception that there really is no "violence" in same sex relationships. According to Lee Carpenter, the Legal Director at Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, there are a variety of reasons for this.
"One of the leading reasons, in my opinion, is the fact that the problem of domestic violence is usually framed as an expression of male oppression of women," Carpenter said. "The fact is that most domestic violence is actually male-on-female. I think it would be difficult to dispute that, and I wouldn't try. However, the common conception of domestic violence does leave out the possibility of its occurrence between people of the same sex."
Carpenter also said that another reason might be that LGBTQ themselves do not admit to sexual violence in their relationships.
"Our relationships are already pathologized in mainstream culture - they are made to seem abnormal and unhealthy," Carpenter said. "To admit that some same-sex relationships actually are less than healthy, can seem like a damaging and dangerous admission to some within the community."
"My own view is that because gay and lesbian couples are generally less visible than heterosexual couples in our society, so is any problems they may experience," Robert Schoenberg, director of LGBT center at the University of Pennsylvania, said. "It seems likely to me that conventional domestic abuse/violence counselors are generally less well-prepared to deal with gay and lesbian clients. This is another consequence of invisibility and heterosexism."
