Queer survivors. Young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people and domestic abuse

1. Working together for better services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) victims / survivors of domestic abuse.

2. Queer survivors. Young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people and domestic abuse

3. Aims • To examine the changes in definition to include 16 and 17 year olds and coercive control • Share research • Create an action plan to fast track survivors to youth centred support

4. LGBT DAF – Young People & Domestic Abuse- Changes to Domestic Abuse DefinitionBy Cat EverettDomestic and Sexual Abuse Caseworker

5. Galop: who are we? • The only pan-London LGBT anti-violence charity • Developed from grassroots campaign on policing and hate crime • Grounded in direct work with victims of homophobic and transphobic hate crime, domestic and sexual abuse • Work in partnership with other voluntary and statutory organisations

6. Key Galop projects • Pan-London hate crime project • DAP - London LGBT Domestic Abuse Partnership (including Broken Rainbow, Pace, Stonewall Housing and Switchboard) • JIGSAW: Youth Homelessness Project (AKT, Pace, SWH & Galop) • Young Person’s Domestic Abuse Project • Shine Project (Trans inclusive work) • Sexual violence/abuse project

7. What we do • Advice, support and advocacy • Non-police (third party) reporting via telephone, face-to-face and on-line • Campaigns around LGBT violence and abuse, strategic role on LGBT community safety in London • Research: Shine@Galop, Filling in the Blanks

8. My role • Funded by Comic Relief until 2013 • I work 3 days a week with young people (under 25) – remaining time with those of all ages • I work with clients who have experienced sexual and domestic abuse • Advice, information, advocacy • Emotional support • On going case work

9. Key areas of work • Housing • Civil law • Criminal law • Safety planning • Risk assessments • Referrals/signposting

10. Key issues for my clients • Homelessness (“hidden homelessness”, sofa surfing) • Familial domestic abuse • Forced marriage and HBV • Intimate partner domestic abuse • Isolation • Poverty (links to issues with housing/housing options)

11. Defining Domestic Abuse

12. Developed by Roe and Jagadinsky Adapted from the Power and Control Wheel developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, 206 West Forth Street, Duluch, MN 55806 Power and control wheel

13. Power & Control Wheel • Very useful tool to use with victim/survivors to assist them to name their experiences as abuse • Section on coercion & threats that links with new definition • Useful to use alongside CAADA DASH RIC to highlight risk

14. Old Definition of Domestic Abuse • Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality." This includes issues of concern to black and minority ethnic (BME) communities such as so called 'honour based violence', female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage.

15. New Definition of Domestic Abuse to be implemented from March 2013 Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour,  violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse: • psychological • physical  • sexual • financial • emotional • Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour. • Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.

16. Key Changes • The definition now includes 16 and 17 year olds: This follows the Government’s successful Teenage Relationship Abuse Campaigns and is backed up by the British Crime Survey 2009/10 which found that 16-19-year-olds were the group most likely to suffer abuse from a partner. 12.7 per cent of women and 6.2 per cent of men in this age group suffer abuse, compared to seven per cent of women and five per cent of men in older groups.  • Introduction of an NSPCC Panel set up to help inform the government’s work on tackling domestic abuse, particularly by/for young people. • Inclusion of and clear explanation of coercive and controlling behaviour- emphasising that DVA is a pattern of behaviour rather than one off incidents

17. Positive changes? • Extending the definition to include 16/17 year olds may increase awareness for professionals that young people in this age-group experience domestic abuse • It may enable young people to recognise that domestic abuse can affect them, allow them to name their experience as abuse and feel that this is recognised by professionals/society. • It may encourage young people to disclose abuse and access support. • Including young people and defining coercive control will extend/broaden the perception of the “public image” of domestic abuse to include a wider variety of individuals and patterns of behaviour • It may lead to an increase in earlier identification of abuse in relationships and the recognition that domestic abuse is not confined to physical • Earlier identification and intervention may lead to a reduction in escalation of abuse in relationships if patterns of coercion are recognised. • It appears that emphasis is being placed on all forms of abuse and their seriousness and removing any emphasis of physical violence as the defining characteristic of an abusive relationship.

18. Questions • Please feel free to ask any questions!

19. Thank you!

20. LGBT Jigsaw? • Stonewall housing, Albert Kennedy Trust • Pace, Galop • Last six month 93 service users • Homeless or facing homelessness • 15 young people under 18

21. LGBT Jigsaw • 46% bullying and harassment • 39% domestic abuse • 73% family conflict • 8% forced marriage/ so called HBV • 47% isolation and loneliness • 37% self harm and suicidal thoughts

22. Other new research • Exploring the service and support needs for LGBT and Black and minority ethnic victims of domestic and sexual violence. • Report prepared by the Home Office. • SRG/06/017 • Marianne Hester, Emma Williamson, Linda Regan, Mark Coulter, Khantidja Chantler, Geetanjail Gangoli, Rebecca Davenport and Lorraine Green

23. Dean Atta: Rice and Peas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0-F-B7H02c

26. Youth Chances survey of 16-25 yr olds 2. Emerging findings at 15/08/2012 3. What YOU can do to get involved!

27. Youth Chances survey of 16-25 yr olds

28. Launch: May 21st 2012 Long and broad on-line survey of 15,000 young people across 2 surveys Survey is LIVE!www.youthchances.org/survey

29. Demographics of respondents Do you consider yourself to be...

30. Demographics of respondents On your birth certificate, were you first described as... Are you trans?

31. What region of England do you mostly live in now?

32. Emerging findings at 15/08/2012 • 2,840 responses

33. Thinking about your experience generally, do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Discrimination against gay men Is still common

34. Have you ever experienced any of the following because you are LGBTQ or people thought you were LGBTQ?

35. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?This is sometimes called ‘self-harm’.

36. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?This is sometimes called ‘self-harm’.

37. Emerging findings at 08/10/2012 • 3,473 survey responses

38. Have you experienced abuse or violence from someone close to you? No Yes, when I was under 16 Yes, when I was over 16 20% of respondents to the Youth Chances survey [at 08/10/2012] have experienced abuse or violence from someone close to them when they were under 16. 10% of respondents to the Youth Chances survey [at 08/10/2012] have experienced abuse or violence from someone close to them when they were over 16.

39. Was this anything to do with your sexuality or gender identity? Not at all It was part of the reason It was the reason 35% of respondents to the Youth Chances survey [at 08/10/2012] who have experienced abuse or violence from someone close to them said that sexuality or gender was part of the reason or the reason.

40. Please describe what the experience of abuse was if you wish. Did you get any help or support with the abuse that you experienced? What was the useful support that you received to help you with thisviolence or abuse?

41. 3. What YOU can do to get involved!

42. We have 4,108 responses so far • We need more 16-25 • year olds! • National/regional networks • Events and meetings • Social media- facebook, twitter, youtube • Posters, flyers and badges • Press and celebrity support

43. Spreadthe Word! www.youthchances.org/survey

44. Workshop Questions When working with young LGBT people … 1. What are the risk indicators? 2. Which organisations that would be useful to involve? 3. What information would be useful to share to improve response to young survivors

45. Evaluation Please take time to feedback. Your opinion is valuable to us.

46. Contact details Maria Sookias Coordinator LGBT DAF 2A Leroy House 436 Essex RoadLondon N1 3QP 020 7359 6316 info@lgbtdaf.org

50. Queer issues • Redefining sexuality/gender identity • The scene/ the numerous scenes • Cyber abuse • Dual arrest/counter allegation/court experience • Relationships in prison/other institutions • Sexual abuse/ “corrective” rape • Extortion • Age/youth and abuse of older LGBT