Experienced Violence & Challenged Sexual Identity
We are keen to emphasise that the LGBTQ+ community experiences sexual violence on a nuanced, complex spectrum encompassing gender – as well as sexuality – based abuse.
Although our other resources can still be helpful for LGBTQ+ survivors, they do not speak to the intersectionality between gender and sexual orientation in the same way as the resources below.
Experiencing sexual violence can impact your relationship with your sexuality in various ways, and all shifts are equally valid reactions.
No emotion is the ‘right’ emotion, so it is important that you give yourself the permission, time, space, and energy to feel those psychological and physical responses. Hypersexuality (an increase in sexual behaviour following sexual trauma), for instance, is just as acceptable of a response as hyposexuality (a decrease in sexual behaviour). Likewise, feeling empowered in your sexuality is just as valid as feeling like your sexuality is more fragile after sexual trauma.
These resources might help you rebalance your relationship with your sexuality, or else find an entirely new way of experiencing and expressing it.
Resources
Scottish Women’s Rights Centre
Has a helpful section for LGBTQ+ survivors.
Pages 4-8 of this pdf speak to some of the struggles outlined above.
RAINN
Provides six detailed profiles from LGBTQ+ survivors, and you can read their stories below:
Rainbow Peers
You can also discuss any of these issues with Rainbow Peers.
They are a branch of the Peer Support programme ran by Oxford University’s counselling service.
You can email them at rainbowpeers@admin.ox.ac.uk to ask for an appointment.
Survivors’ Network
They have produced a report for survivor services on meeting the needs of trans and non-binary survivors of sexual violence.
Pages 13-16 of this pdf are particularly helpful because they provide testimonies from survivors themselves.
Galop
The National LGBT Domestic Abuse Helpline (Galop) is the UK’s only national LGBTQ+ specific domestic abuse helpline, including support for survivors of sexual assault.
Tel: 0300 999 5428 (charged) / 0800 999 5428 (free). Mon & Thu: 10am-8pm; Tue & Wed: 10am-5pm; Fri: 1pm-5pm.
Tue 1pm-5pm is a trans specific service.
Alternatively, you can also email them: help@galop.org.uk.
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This factsheet runs through some of the emotions you may be feeling.
Terrence Higgins Trust
The Terrence Higgins Trust is the largest voluntary sector provider of HIV and sexual health services in the UK, running services out of local centres across the UK, including an Oxford based one.
They provide LGBTQ+ friendly counselling. To find out more, click here.