Coercive Control in LGBTQ2S+ Relationships Andrea Silverstone, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Coercive Control in LGBTQ2S+ Relationships

Andrea Silverstone, Executive Director Carrie McManus, Director of Programs

Who Are We?

Sagesse empowers individuals,

• rganizations and communities to break

the cycle of domestic violence through curating environments to heal and lead safe, healthy lives

Our Values

Vulnerability Curiosity Courage Trusting in the Messiness

Our Language

Victim vs. Survivor

Our Work

Direct Service Capacity Building & Education Collective Impact

Rainbow Ready

Service providers will be able to provide culturally relevant services and supports to LGBTQ2S+ individuals experiencing domestic violence.

Rainbow Ready

• 7-10 Days on site w/agencies/systems
• Understand unique cultures, values,

beliefs that impact day to day operations

• Engage w/staff, volunteers, board of

directors etc.

Organizational Audit

• Documentation Review & Editing
• Physical Space Review & Recommendations

Personnel Audit

• Specialized Full Day Training per Agency

Domestic Violence

A relationship that is characterized by:

• Intimacy
• Dependence
• Trust

The purpose of the abuse is to control. Abusive behavior can take many forms.

Scope of Domestic Violence

• 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence in

their lifetime

• 8% of victims of domestic violence are victims of

intimate terrorism

• 8-10% of victims of domestic violence access

shelters

• 1 in 7 men will experience domestic violence in

their lifetime

• 31-50% of Trans people will experience domestic

violence in their lifetime

• 74% of Albertan’s say they know someone who

has experienced domestic violence

LGBTQ2S+ Domestic Violence

LGBTQ2S+ domestic violence has unique characteristics which lead to barriers often experienced when accessing support. Unique characteristics of LGBTQ2S+ domestic violence may include:

• homo/bi/transphobia
• “outing” as a form of control
• underdeveloped or non-inclusive resources
• gendered assumptions around abusers and/or victims.

LGBTQ2S+ DV Stats

Williams Institute, 2015

Unique Characteristics Of LGBTQ2S+ DV

• Heterosexism: the default assumption that

someone is straight

• Minority stress: the experience of being

stigmatized because one's cultural values don't align with those of the dominant cultural group

• Internalized homo/bi/trans negativity
• A culture of fear-based silence with LGBTQ2S+

domestic violence often means those experiencing it are afraid of accessing services or even talking to their peers about their experiences.

Barriers to Help Seeking

• Outing
• Lack of LGBTQ2S+ Competent Services
• Lack of community understanding of Domestic Violence
• Isolation
• Fear of making the LGBTQ2S+ communities look bad
• Lack of Confidence in Police & Statutory Services

Experiences of Support

• Shelters
• Health Care Providers
• Law Enforcement
• Social Service Agencies
• Fear of lack of understanding, competency, accessible support

and services,

• Individual Counsellors
• 90% of LGBTQ individuals found counsellors to be helpful in

situations of disclosing domestic violence (Turrell, 2000)

Changing the Narrative

Honeymoon Tension Building Violence

Coercive Control

A pattern of behavior which seeks to take away a person’s freedom and to strip away their sense of self. The person using violence creates a world in which the person experiencing abuse is constantly monitored and criticized; Their every move is checked against an unpredictable, ever-changing, unknowable ‘rule-book’.

Coercive Control

• Coercive control is an act or a pattern of acts of

assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or

• ther abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten

their victim.

• Creates invisible chains and a sense of fear that

pervades all elements of a victim’s life. It works to limit human rights by depriving individuals of their liberty and reducing their ability for action.

• “the victim becomes captive in an unreal world

created by the abuser, entrapped in a world of confusion, contradiction and fear.” (Evan Stark)

Coercive Control Stats

• 95 out of 100 domestic abuse survivors reported

experiencing coercive control. (Kelly et al, 2014)

• Women are far more likely than men to be victims
• f abuse that involves ongoing degradation and

frightening threats – two key elements of coercive

• control. (Myhill, 2015)

Coercive Control in LGBTQ2S+ Relationships

• Coercive control is subtle and it happens over time, but

it tends to eventually escalate into violent and even deadly situations.

• Coercive control is more predictive of homicide than the

existence of physical violence.

• Improved understanding of domestic violence as

coercive control by service providers may help to circumvent the opportunities for escalated experiences

• f violence.

Clinical Considerations

• Trauma and Violence Informed

Practice

• Intersectional Approach
• Gender Transformative
• Client Centered
• Contextualization
• Co-Shared Understanding

Informal Supporters

You DON’T have to be an expert!

• Recognize
• Respond
• Refer (access help for yourself)

Policy Considerations

Policy Considerations

Policy Considerations

Conclusion

Questions?

Andrea Silverstone: andrea@sagesse.org Carrie McManus: carrie@Sagesse.org