Abstract Book of the 4th World Conference on Gender Equality
Year: 2026
[PDF]
A COMPLEX REALITY: A Framework for Advancing Community Response to LGBTQ Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Paige Smith, Stacy Sechrist, Tamar Goldenberg
ABSTRACT:
Intimate partner violence (IPV) describes behaviors such as sexual violence, stalking, physical violence, psychological aggression and control of reproduction or sexual health, that occur within romantic or sexual relationships. Globally, about a third of all women have experienced IPV. Most studies in the United States (US) have found that IPV is as high or higher in LGBTQ+ individuals in intimate relationships. Although research on IPV among LGBTQ+ populations more globally is still scarce, there is reason to believe that it is equally prevalent, particularly as these populations continue to be stigmatized and oppressed. This project, conducted in the southern US, finds that, despite growing awareness of the need for IPV prevention and response programs specific to the experiences of LGBTQ+ survivors, most existing state and community domestic violence service agencies (DVSPs) are still oriented toward providing services to straight cisgender populations. Many LGBTQ+ survivors are reluctant to seek help for many reasons, including stigma, negative past experiences with service providers, fear of receiving prejudicial treatment in DVSPs, and concerns about engaging with the criminal justice and legal systems of care.
These fears are well-grounded. Beginning in the 1970s in the US, DVSPs began to emerge as part of the feminist movement and the philosophical underpinnings of these programs, as well as the laws, funding mechanisms, policies and practices were all formed to support the gendered nature of IPV, understood to be mostly men who abuse mostly women. In practice, this often means that IPV experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals is invisible, and survivors are left without systems of safe, affirming, equitable, and effective care. The purpose of our project was “to advance a community-informed and intersectional framework for action for how communities can provide safe, affirming and effective services to LGBTQ+ survivors of IPV that is recognized as being credible, trustworthy, dependable, and reflective of the voices of the LGBTQ+ community.” After working with DVSPs and LGBTQ centers in North Carolina for many years with the aim of improving services for LGBTQ+ survivors throughout the state, our community leadership team (comprised of researchers, DV and LGBTQ+ service providers) identified many challenges to creating change within existing DVSPs, and the importance of further exploring how to situate this work more fully within existing LGBTQ+ entities; the goal of this shift was to center this IPV work as “for us, by us.” To address this need, we collected qualitative and quantitative data among LGBTQ+ stakeholders, survivors, and DVSP service providers; findings revealed a “complex reality”. Our themes reveal that LGBTQ+ stakeholders believe that their leadership is important to a statewide and/or community response; however, most cannot take on the complexities of IPV response, and this was identified as especially challenging without additional resources specifically designated for doing this work. Stakeholders are also concerned about the current inadequacies of DVSP response and believe it can and does lead to harm; however, they also believe that DVSPs are an important part of communities’ responses for LGBTQ survivors. In this presentation we will explore this complex reality and our recommendations for state and community level action.
(File of same also attached)
Keywords: LGBTQ +, Intimate Partner Violence, Gender and Health, Gender and Sexuality, Gender Equality