Lesbian and Bisexual Survivors
Just like heterosexual women, lesbians can be sexually assaulted. In most cases this happens simply because they are female. Yet there are rapists who target gay or bisexual women, expressing their anti-lesbian hatred through this kind of violence, as a way to "teach them a lesson," or "show them what they really need." Or you may have been assaulted by your partner or another woman in an abusive relationship.
Whatever the circumstances of your assault, you may have fears and concerns specifically related to being gay in addition to those which any woman faces. These concerns may be not only about what occurred during the assault, but about how you will be treated by the health care and criminal justice system, your friends, family, and, if you are in a relationship, your partner.
Some of the issues you may face are
- Fear of disclosure to friends, family, employers;
- Fear that your sexual identity will be seen as your central "problem" by health care providers, instead of the assault;
- Fear of losing children, if your family or a former male partner learns that you are a lesbian;
- Concerns that your case will not be taken seriously because of your sexual orientation;
- Fear that you will be arrested for violating Virginia's anti-sodomy laws.
For a woman who has rarely or never experienced heterosexual intercourse, forcible penetration may be particularly frightening or painful. The possibility of pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases may be concerns you aren't used to thinking about. It's also possible that you may lose interest in sexual activity or possibly question your sexual identity after an assault. Even women who feel very comfortable and secure with their sexual identity may have feelings of vulnerability, guilt or self-blame.
Try to keep in mind that in the emergency room you may be asked questions which seem oppressive. The hospital staff may assume that you are heterosexual, and they need to know if you have had recent voluntary sexual intercourse or use birth control in order to evaluate your medical needs. If you feel you have been treated badly, or staff reacts uncomfortably to your answers, let the sexual assault center know. Regardless of how you feel about your sexuality-- still questioning, closeted, or totally "out" --you are entitled to the same sensitive treatment heterosexual women should receive.
If you suspect or know that the assailant knew you were a lesbian, you may want to report the assault to a hate crime reporting hotline. Virginians for Justice have a reporting hotline, as does the U.S. Department of Justice. Any crime committed against someone on the basis of her/his race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity is a violation of the federal Hate Crimes Act, and therefore falls under the U.S. Department of Justice's jurisdiction. When reporting to either hotline, you don't have to identify yourself.
If you have a partner, she will have her own set of reactions and feelings about your assault. Those feelings may be intensified if she is a survivor herself. Suggest she read the section addressed to partners.
Above all, it is important to remember that the assault is not something you brought on yourself. This may be hard to acknowledge if you are still coming to terms with your sexuality, or the assailant indicated that he knew you were a lesbian. Self-doubt is a natural by-product of a sexist, homophobic and heterosexist society. You have the right to services which are non-judgmental and to surround yourself with those who can emotionally support you best through the healing process.
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