Domestic Violence and Intersectionality

1. Domestic Violence and Intersectionality Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning Survivors

2. Square or Diamond?

3. Identity Politics Strength Weakness Ignores differences within groups Has not traditionally allowed space for multiple identities in conflict • A source of pride • A mechanism for shining the light on power • Through it, we can question the hazards of claiming to serve ‘everyone equally’

4. “Within the lesbian community I am Black, and within the Black community I am a lesbian. Any attack against Black people is a lesbian and gay issue, because I and thousands of other Black women are part of the lesbian community. Any attack against lesbians and gays is a Black issue, because thousands of lesbians and gay men are Black. There is no hierarchy of oppression.” -AudreLorde. Homophobia and Education (There Is No Hierarchy of Oppressions)

5. Identity Politics in DV/IPV • Survivors have different experiences related to their vulnerabilities • Tools offenders have at their disposal • Systemic responses that revictimize • Lack of realistic, relevant, and supportive services

6. Love Intersectionality Family Culture/Traditions Community Social Interactions Being Understood The various ways in which social identities interact to shape the multiple dimensions of of a person’s life, highlighting the need to account for multiple grounds of identity when considering how the social world is constructed. (adapted from Crenshaw, 1994) Fear Access? Safety?

7. Meet Jennifer Smith Jennifer Smith 34 White Heterosexual

8. Jennifer Smith Jennifer Smith 34 White, Spanish speaking Latina Heterosexual

9. Jennifer Smith 34 White, Spanish speaking Latina Heterosexual, Transgender

10. Decisions

11. Why do we have to think about identity?? • So that survivors have full access to our services • We learn to set good boundaries and learn how to express them • We acknowledge what we do not provide and to whom • We figure out the diversity in our areas • We make meaningful linkages and • So that batterers have fewer opportunities to harm

12. What might intersectionality look like in life? Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/Questioning

13. Getting onto the same page Write the name of a group that you belong to Write a few things about this group that you love Next, write the name of a group that you can guess does not like your group Keeping this in mind, write down stereotypes this group has about your group and how you’ve seen or hear how they treat people you love or who are part of your group Imagine that this group has something you need in order to get from one day to the next safely Finally, write about how you feel toward members of this group and how you feel about needing something from them

14. Oppression of LGBTQ Communities Internalized Homophobia fear/hatred of LGB people Heterosexism Belief in the inherent superiority of Heterosexuality and thereby its right to Dominance (adapted from AudreLorde) Mysogyny fear/hatred of women Transphobia fear/hatred of trans people Interpersonal Institutional Cultural

15. This results in different coping mechanisms: No one to talk to learn how to hide • Common factor: TRUST-Related issues Internalization increase substance use Ridicule learn self-hate Sexual Assault engage in high risk behaviors Bias-Related Attack hyper vigilance

16. Barriers to communication: In order to construct self-narratives, we need not only the words with which to tell our stories, but also an audience able and willing to hear usand to understand our words as we intend them. Susan Brison in Talal Asad’s Genealogy of Religion

17. Misconceptions About Domestic Violence in LGBTQ Relationships • Lesbians aren’t as strong as men so the DV isn’t as serious between women • Fighting between same gender couples is always mutual abuse • The more masculine-appearing partner must be the batterer • If one person identifies as transgender, that person must be the abuser.

18. Tacticsused against LGBTQ people in DV • Using incorrect gender pronouns • The use of homophobic slurs or gender-based insults • Denying access to medical treatment or hormones • Threatening to out victim if they report assault • Fetishizing or eroticizing partner without their consent • Telling partner they deserve abuse or will never find another partner who treats them better • Touching body parts victim doesn’t want touched or calling body parts by names offensive to the victim • Calling the police during an argument and blaming the victim by using homophobic/transphopbic tactics • Telling the victim that no one will believe them because trans people are unreliable

19. Tactics used against LGBTQ peoplecontinued • Refusing to have safer sex • Claiming “this is how real men/women/lesbians/gay men have sex” • The use of sexual assault to ‘fix’ LGTB people, such as when a woman in a heterosexual relationship comes out as lesbian • Heterosexual ex boyfriends or husbands harming the new partner

20. What happens when accessing services Providers • Very few providers understand the effects of abuse across the LGTB lifespan • Assessments tend to rely upon heterosexist models • Miss the bias related traumatization is often part of what is used against victims • Agencies • Agency forms often do not often reflect queer lives • What happens when a batterer ends up near her victim in shelter? • Having to get passed the homophobia to the services • Shelters are not open to many of our community-men and trans-people

21. An overview • Early experiences • Early violence to make conform • Lack of role models • Coming Out • Isolated from family and friends • Being out • Lose job, lose kids, lose home, lose community of faith • not understanding if it is IPV, airing dirty laundry, tight knit community, maybe no one else will have me • Can’t call the police • Revictimization, mutual abuse, lock up in the same cell • Isolation of the elderly • No one thinks old people can be LGBTQ

22. What to do?

23. Training Contract System Design Benefits Long term relationship Stronger understanding of policies and procedures More accurate referrals Accessible technical assistance Less stressful community interactions • Meeting between agency managers and trainer for reciprocal education • Agency audit • Pre/Post tests • Tailored training series • Data analysis • Final report • Linkage/Invitation to join a SafeSpace Network

24. Information sharing at RU12? • Expectations around conference attendance/webinars/community meetings • Information sharing • Blogging • Follow up

25. Changes • Ask-does our approach to services encourage someone to bring their most complete self to the table? • Make meaningful linkages • Visit other agencies, websites, facebook pages • Spell out what a relationship will look like and include bi-directional technical assistance • Don’t learn about groups just in times of crisis • Pick up community-based newspapers • Go to local events • Respond non-defensively when asked to examine your own part in perpetuating oppression • Use your privilege to change your workplace • Understand that there are communities, not one single community

26. Management • Identify concrete steps that management and staff can take for inclusion? Follow through. • Adjust organization statements and other relevant documents to include an affirmative nondiscrimination clause concerning membership, hiring practices, and the communities served • Organization • Create an environment where people feel comfortable to come out at work • Interrupt oppressive remarks/jokes • Put up posters from different organizations, events • Know your referrals and utilize them • Celebrate and affirm various communities by attending events as an agency • Establish and maintain contact with local groups to offer support and promote dialogue and interaction • Advertise in the local press and/or other media that reaches the various communities • Do not advertise services you cannot provide