LGBTQ+ Program
By-and-for services for LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner/domestic violence and sexual violence
Do you share any of these common fears?
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Do you feel like you have nowhere to turn for help and fear hostile responses from family, friends, service providers, therapists, or police because of homophobia and anti-LGBTQ+ bias?
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Are you worried that if you report the violence, you won’t be believed/denied services due to stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community?
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Are you worried that you won’t be believed if your attacker is not socially seen as a perpetrator?
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Are you afraid of being outed if you tell your family, the courts, or report the violence to the police?
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Do you feel like you’d be betraying the LGBTQ+ community by disclosing that you were assaulted by another LGBTQ+ person?
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Are you afraid that you would expose your perpetrator to a homophobic criminal justice system if you pursue legal solutions?
You’re not alone! We have culturally competent, LGBTQ+ specific survivor programs and services!
DCRC’s LGBTQ+ Program serves LGBTQ+ survivors of intimate partner/domestic violence and sexual violence. Our by-and-for program provides free and confidential services including*:
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case management, crisis intervention, and safety planning🌈
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24 hr crisis line (919-403-6562)
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emergency shelter
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individual counseling
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support groups🌈
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court accompaniment🌈
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hospital accompaniment
For more information, please call to speak to an advocate from the LGBTQ+ program at 919-403-9425, Ext 271, Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM. After hours, please call our 24-hour help line at 919-403-6562.
*Rainbow after indicates staff from our LGBTQ+ program provide this service directly. Other services are provided by agency staff and volunteers who have gone through LGBTQ+ cultural competency training and who may identify as LGBTQ+.
(Sources for statistics)
2015 US Transgender Survey
2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/NISVS_Report2010-a.pdf
2016 NCAVP Intimate Partner Violence Report
How Are Things Feeling?
Do(es) my partner(s):
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Support me and respect my choices?
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Acknowledge and validate my identity(ies)?
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Support me spending time with friends or family?
Do I:
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Feel comfortable talking about my feelings, sex, and other important things with my partner(s)?
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Feel like I can make my own decisions about my finances, schedule, friends, and gender expression?
For Survivors:
Knowing the Signs of Domestic Violence
Does your partner…
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Threaten to out you - your gender identity, sexual orientation, HIV status or immigration status to friends, family, or at work?
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Refuse to recognize your name, pronouns, identity, or preferred language?
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Control your access to medicine (hormones, anti-anxiety/depression, PrEP/PEP, ART, substance replacement therapy, birth control)?
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Pressure or force you to do something sexual you don’t want to do? Fetishize or exoticize your identity and/or body without your consent?
Actions like these can be harmful for your emotional and physical health. Give us a call at 919-403-9425, Ext 271 for support.
Understanding Sexual Violence
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Sexual violence is any form of forced or coerced sexual activity, including, but not limited to: rape, incest, child sexual abuse, ritual abuse, stranger rape, date/acquaintance rape, partner/marital rape, sexual harassment inside and outside of the workplace, exposure, and voyeurism.
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Sexual violence includes situations in which a person may be drunk, high, unconscious, or has a disability and cannot consent to sexual activity.
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Sexual violence also includes coercion beyond agreed upon terms in sex work.
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Sexual violence may occur on a date, between friends, partners, strangers, or clients.
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Sexual violence happens to and are committed by people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
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Sexual violence is NEVER the fault of the survivor.
For Service Providers:
We have free support available to any agencies that want to improve their ability to work with LGBTQ+ survivors. Staff in our program can provide:
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training on unique ways that intimate partner violence manifests in LGBTQ+ communities (including review of LGBTQ+ terminology and concepts)
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consultation on any aspect of an agency’s services (intake paperwork, clinical documentation, outreach and marketing, physical environment, etc) to improve competency in working with LGBTQ+ survivors
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ongoing technical assistance to maintain LGBTQ+ competent services to survivors
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outreach at community events
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detailed information about services offered and referral process
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workshops at staff retreats, conferences, community collaboratives, etc.