Facing Up to Sexual Assault in Queer Communities

"Survivors of sexual assault include people of all genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, social classes, and other diverse identities and backgrounds. Yet the majority of public discussions center on cisgender heterosexual women. Of course, these are important discussions given the high number of women who are assaulted. However, it is important to make room to discuss other populations, too. Galopsurveyed over 1,000 LGBTQ+ people in the UK and found that 77 percent reported having experienced sexual assault."

"Some specific factors make queer populations more vulnerable to sexual assaults and raise barriers to reporting them. Societal marginalization, familial rejection, homelessness (often due to familial rejection), and institutional homophobia and transphobia heighten vulnerabilities. Perpetrators of sexual assault can more easily target people in queer communities because those targets can be more isolated and less likely to be believed or taken seriously."

"Addressing sexual assault in queer communities requires a cultural change in education and policies. In its survey, Galop identified that 54 percent of the perpetrators of sexual violence towards LGBTQ+ people were heterosexual. A study by the TUC(Trades Union Congress) found that 68 percent of LGBTQ+ workers experienced at least one type of sexual harassment at work, and 12 percent of LGBTQ+ women reported being seriously sexually assaulted or raped at work."

Sexual assault affects LGBTQ+ people across genders, orientations, ethnicities, and classes, with 77 percent of surveyed LGBTQ+ people reporting experience of sexual assault. Vulnerabilities increase due to societal marginalization, familial rejection, homelessness, and institutional homophobia and transphobia, which isolate targets and raise barriers to reporting. Fifty-four percent of perpetrators identified in one survey were heterosexual. Workplace sexual harassment and assault are common, with 68 percent of LGBTQ+ workers experiencing harassment and 12 percent of LGBTQ+ women reporting serious sexual assault or rape at work. Cultural change in education and policy is needed to improve prevention and reporting.

Read at Psychology Today