DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AMONGST LGBTQ YOUTH

Not a trending topic but yes, domestic violence does exist in the LGBTQ youth community.

LBGTQ ..... Lesbian....Gay....Bisexual....Transgender......Queer/Questioning

People tend to shy away from this community, to me it's because of fear: a fear to understand, a fear to possibly relate to their sexuality or a fear of what the saints may have to say.

I was taught to LOVE all mankind no matter what their sexual preference is. Domestic violence is not limited to heterosexuals. In fact, the LGBTQ community suffers at the same or even higher rates as heterosexual domestic violence victims, their rates are not always reported.

Scenario #1

Think about a teen trying to identify him or herself sexually and the environment that this youth is in, is unstable, dangerous or threatened daily by family members or their peers to have their sexual identities disclosed. Let's say this teen leaves that environment and winds up in a relationship with someone who knows and uses their situation as an advantage to control that teen. Friends, that person is the batterer from here on out in this blog and the teen is now the victim. So now you have this victim and this batterer possibly living together and the control mechanisms of domestic violence is present through emotional, physical, verbal or financial abuse. Remember, this is a teen (victim) with possible low or no income and the batterer is someone who is financial fit to house the victim.

Still not convinced that domestic violence exists in the LGBTQ community?

Scenario #2

A teen is not happy in her current living arrangements and mom works two jobs and is barely making ends meet for her and her siblings. The teen meets someone older of the same sex at a bar that she used a fake I.D. card to get in and they began a friendship. Friendship is growing into an emotional and intimate involvement. Time goes by, and the couple move in together. The teen that was unhappy with her living arrangements,, drops out of school and now is unhappy in her relationship but decides to stay due to living in a better house and neighborhood. She has suffered from emotional and verbal abuse from her partner and is now using drugs and has become suicidal.

Scenarios like these unfortunately are common in our LGBTQ community and our society is blinded to ways to triage and prevent domestic violence in all of our communities. Let's work together to break the silence and end all violence against our youth.

To find out ways to get help in your community, log onto the National Domestic Violence Hotline website http://www.thehotline.org/

Here is a website that provides several resources as well for LGBTQ Youth http://www.bonusround.com/gayyouth/

LGBTQ Crisis Hotline at the Center on Halsted Anti-Violence Project

(773) 871-2273

Anne M. Huffman

GLBT/Hate Crime Specialist

State's Attorney of Cook County, IL

Domestic Violence Court House

555 West Harrison

Chicago, IL 60607

(312) 325-9254

ahuffman@cookcountygov.com