Sexual Violence in the LGBTQ+ Community

LGBTQ+ people experience sexual assault at significantly higher rates than the overall population.

Systemic inequality and discrimination limit LGBTQ+ survivors’ access to appropriate post-assault services, creating additional barriers to healing from sexual assault.

• LGBTQ+ survivors may face different or additional challenges in accessing legal, medical, law enforcement or other resources than other populations. Some challenges may include:
  • Fear of being outed
  • Fear of discrimination
  • Feeding into stereotypes of LGBTQ+ communities
• 44 percent of lesbians and 61 percent of bisexual women experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 35 percent of straight women.
• 26 percent of gay men and 37 percent of bisexual men experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 29 percent of straight men.
• Within the LGBTQ community, transgender people and bisexual women face the most alarming rates of sexual violence. Among both of these populations, sexual violence begins early, often during childhood.
• Nearly half (47%) of transgender and non-binary individuals experience sexual assault in their lifetime, with one in ten individuals being sexually assaulted in the course of the year.
• Of those transgender and non-binary individuals who experience sexual assault, rates of sexual assault are significantly higher for transgender and non-binary individuals who are Black (53%), Indigenous (65%), and/or people of color, with those identifying as multiracial (59%) and Middle Eastern (58%) experiencing the highest rates of assault.
• Transgender and non-binary individuals experience sexual assault and other forms of mistreatment not only in law enforcement settings, but in medical, shelter, and other service provider settings as well. 
  

Anti-Violence Safety, Community Care & Connection During Safer at Home Order:

• Diverse & Resilient has advocates able to help the QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, POC, GNC) and the larger LGBTQ+ community connect to care during these times of increased isolation and illness. And remember, if you are living in an abusive home whether that be with a partner, family, or roommates, they are here to help you get through. They are available to talk, safety plan, help you be less lonely, connect to resources and more.
  • Each Thursday at 6 p.m. CT, they’ll be hosting statewide Zoom Queerantines! This is a time of community connection for all of use. An ASL interpreter will be available to ensure better access at each Zoom. They’re also employing queer artists to help them run the Queerantines!
  • FOR HELP Call or text:
    Milwaukee/SE WI Advocate-Jennifer: (414) 242-0730
    Appleton/NE WI Advocate-Nick: (920) 840-2040
    Statewide line: 414-856-5428 or email kflores@diverseandresilient.org
  • Room to Be Safe & Refuge Artist showcase for healing YouTube is a yoga/Music Room to Heal Through Arts with Nicholas Raymond and Ciarra.
• PACT NOW events sponsored by Forge and Froedtert
  • COVID-19 sucks. PACT NOW is a multifaceted new program to help trans and non-binary folks get through this hard time. Fight the isolation and join Forge each week for trans-focused supportive virtual get-togethers!

Learn more about how you can support LGBTQ+ Survivors.