Domestic Abuse & Gender based violence
The LGBT Domestic Abuse Project
The LGBT Domestic Abuse Project is funded through the Scottish Government’s Delivering Equally Safe fund.
We work across Scotland to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ people’s experiences of domestic abuse and to support professionals and service providers to improve service responses to LGBTQ+ people. We do this through:
- Awareness Raising
- Research
- Training
- Policy work
To learn more about the LGBT Domestic Abuse Project, please contact [email protected].
Domestic Abuse in LGBTQ+ relationships
Abuse can happen to anyone, however there are some dynamics that can be different in LGBTQ+ relationships.
To build services for our community, it’s important to understand what this can look like. For example:
- Abusers may undermine the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity as part of a pattern of emotional abuse.
- Abusers may threaten to out them to others, to control them or keep them trapped in the relationship.
Voices Unheard
Voices Unheard is a youth participation project delivered by LGBT Youth Scotland.
Originally set up in 2009, Voices Unheard are a group of LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25 from across Scotland who come together to deliver a programme of work and research focused on LGBTQ+ young people’s experiences of domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV).
Supporting LGBTQ+ people
Survivors may bring with them previous experiences of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia that create significant barriers to support.
There are four things you can do to build an inclusive service.
- Acknowledging that domestic abuse takes place within LGBTQ+ relationships.
- LGBTQ+ people in the language and images you use in promotional materials.
- Providing training and support for your staff to avoid assumptions about sexual orientation and gender identity. For example, use gender neutral terms like ‘partner’.
- Actively engage with LGBTQ+ communities. Make it clear that your service is for them! Chat to community members in your area to find out what their needs are. If your service is for women only, be clear that this includes trans women.
LGBT Charter
Sign up to our LGBT Charter programme to give your team access to a high quality programme ensuring your service is inclusive to LGBTQ+ people experiencing domestic abuse
You may be interested in...
Harmful Relationships
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Transgender People’s Experiences of Domestic Abuse
unseen unheard
A social history project telling the stories of LGBTQ+ young people in Scotland