Mental health articles

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) victims confront the same issues as all other victims of sexual violence. However, their experiences are compounded by the oppression and hostility encountered by sexual minorities. Th ey frequently report being afraid to reveal their sexual orientation or their relationship with the perpetrator to police offi cers, medical providers, or student aff airs professionals. Factors that further disempower GLBT victims include the fear of being “outed,” the wish to protect same-gender relationships from further discrimination, gender myths that women do not batter and that men are equals in a fi ght, and societal homophobia. For gay men, assaults tend to be physically violent and have a high likelihood of causing severe physical injuries. Gay men are oft en targeted because of their sexual orientation; rape is more likely to be perpetrated by heterosexual men (Groth & Burgess, 1980). For lesbian women, vaginal penetration during an assault can be particularly painful if they have not had prior intercourse; additionally, lesbian victims must contend with the stereotype that women “become” lesbians as a result of sexual victimization by men. Loulan (1987) found that 38% of lesbians had experienced sexual abuse by the age of 18, so statistically there is a strong possibility for one or both lesbian partners to have some history of victimization. Sexual victimization is a particular concern for transgendered individuals, who are oft en stalked, harassed, and assaulted because of their transgendered status, as vividly portrayed in the movie Boys Don’t Cry. For that matter, physical and sexual violence are oft en perpetrated on anyone who expresses or shows visible cross-gender behavior. Th e complexity of issues facing GLBT victims of sexual victimization requires open, caring, and affi rming therapy.

Paul, a 22-year-old gay-identifi ed graduate student, began to date his
teaching assistant, Rob, who was 6 years older. Over time, Rob grew
increasingly jealous of Paul’s younger friends. One night, Paul and
Rob began fi ghting about attention Paul had paid to a male friend. Rob
slapped Paul several times, pushed him into bed, held him down, and
anally penetrated him, all the while verbally abusing him. When Paul
later came to the counseling center, the counselor helped him understand
the power Rob exerted and the impact of the physical and verbal
abuse he experienced. Th e counselor dispelled the myth that sexual
assault cannot occur in relationships where there has been prior sexual
contact, and also helped Paul process his reluctance to report the
assault due to fears of a homophobic response from the university and
of outing his partner.