Sexual violence in the LGBTQIA+ community is a growing concern in today’s political climate. Despite progress around things such as marriage equality, many other rights for LGBTQIA+ people are being threatened or rolled back. Regressive changes such as these contribute to increased violence against the LGBTQIA+ community, including sexual violence.

Historically, information on sexual violence in the LGBTQIA+ has been limited due to a lack of research and resources. Additionally, conflated ideas around sexual orientation and gender identity create significant barriers for those who have multiple identities. For example, a person may be cisgender and bisexual just as a person may be transgender and bisexual. Both of these individuals may be victim-survivors of sexual violence, but the cisgender bisexual individual may have easier access to gender-affirming support. This is not due to any fault of the transgender victim-survivor. This type of disparity is unfair and rooted in discrimination, and just one reason why an online community for queer victim-survivors is so necessary. 

Survivors.org Community

No matter a person’s identity, they deserve access to services that meet their physical, emotional, and cultural needs. The existence of LGBTQIA+-specific communities allows for conversations around the needs of victim-survivors and also creates a space tailored for individuals who have been through sexual violence. Spaces that are as safe as possible are necessary for offering and providing support.