2SLGBTQIA+

Domestic violence or intimate partner violence can happen in any relationship. Often times, domestic violence is only discussed within a hetero-normative, binary context. However, we know that individuals identifying as female, individuals within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and Indigenous individuals are at higher risk of violent victimization. Violence is related to power and people who have less power can be more vulnerable to violence because they are an easier target, because they are less likely to be protected or are more likely to be blamed, or because they may have less places to go to get help. Social and legal stigma of being 2SLGBTQIA+ broadens significantly the scope of abusive tactics available to an exploitative partner. These tactics often include taking advantage of an individual’s gender representation or sexual orientation.

According to Statistics Canada:

  • 67% of LGB+ women who had ever been in an intimate partner relationship had experienced at least one type of intimate partner violence since the age 15, compared to 44% of heterosexual women.
  • One in five LGB+ women had experienced some form of intimate partner violence within one year.
  • 49% of LGB+ women had been physically or sexually assaulted by an intimate partner since the age of 15, compared to 25% of heterosexual women.
  • 54% of LGB+ men had been psychologically, physically, or sexually abused by an intimate partner since the age of 15, compared to 36% of heterosexual men.
  • Transgender and gender diverse individuals are much more likely than cisgender individuals to have experienced sexual and physical assault in their lifetime (59% versus 37%, respectively).
  • 69% of LGB+ women and 41% of LGB+ men had experienced inappropriate sexual behaviours in a public place that made them feel unsafe or uncomfortable; compared to 31% of heterosexual women and 12% of heterosexual men

If you are experiencing violence in your relationship, Nova Vita is here to help. Our Crisis and Support Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To connect with a crisis counsellor:
Call/Text 519-752-4357
Online Chat Service click here

Examples of Violence

Don’t know if it’s violence or abuse? Here are some definitions and examples to help identify unhealthy or abusive relationships for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. You can also find helpful tips for safety planning here.

Intimate Relationship – Involves physical and/or emotional closeness and openness between two individuals, regardless of the length of the relationship. 

Intimate Partner Violence – Refers to any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological or sexual harm to those in the relationship. Such behaviours can include any of the following: 

  • Physical violence such as hitting, punching, kicking, slapping 
  • Verbal abuse such as name calling, including homophobic, biphobic, or transphobic slurs
  • Emotional or psychological abuse such as intimidation, belittling, humiliation, and gaslighting 
  • Sexual violence such as forced intercourse and unwanted sexual touching
  • Coercive control includes various controlling behaviours such as isolating a partner from their family and friends, restricting their access to resources, and controlling their finances
  • Stalking is a pattern of threatening or harassing tactics that causes an individual to fear for their health, safety, or well-being

Closeting – Forcing an individual to hide their gender or sexual identity from others by demanding or pressuring them to remain quiet about their status.

Outing – The opposite of closeting. Disclosing an individual’s gender or sexual identity to others, either directly by telling people, or indirectly by forcing the individual to show public signs of affection like hand-holding and kissing.

Threats – Threats to out the individual’s gender or sexual identity, threats against the individual or their family, and threats of self-harm or suicide.

Identity Abuse – Abusers may use an individual’s marginalized social status to control or shame them. Examples include using a transgender person’s birth name or former pronouns without permission.

Withholding Medical Treatment – Stopping individuals from seeking or continuing medical treatment needed to express their gender identity.

Other Anti-Sexual Minority Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Tactics – These can include accusing someone of “not being lesbian, gay, or bisexual enough”, telling someone who identifies as bisexual that their sexuality is “not real”, accusing a person from a sexual minority of making an abuser a sexual minority, etc.

Heterosexism – The assumption that all people are or should be heterosexual. It excludes the needs, concerns, and life experiences of LGBTQ+ people, while it gives advantages to heterosexual people. It is often a subtle form of oppression, which reinforces realities or silence and erasure.

Homophobia – Oppression, discrimination, and hatred directed toward members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Transphobia – When people have deeply rooted negative beliefs about what it means to be transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming. Often this affects the way they treat people whose identities don’t fit into typical gender roles.

Biphobia – Oppression, discrimination and hatred toward those who identify as bisexual, pansexual, and omnisexual

Terminology

As a way to share knowledge and create understanding, we have included some 2SLQBTQIA+ definitions below from UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Centre. The Centre has developed a glossary of terms and definitions as a starting point for discussion and understanding. Note that these terms and definitions are always evolving, changing, and often mean different things to different people.

  • 2SLGBTQIA+ – Abbreviation for Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual. The additional “+” stands for all of the other identities not encompassed in the short acronym. An umbrella tern that is often used to refer to the community as a whole
  • Lesbian – Usually someone who identifies as a woman, whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same gender.
  • Gay – Usually someone who identifies as a man, whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same gender.
  • Bisexual – A person whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same gender.
  • Pansexual – A person who has romantic, sexual or affectional desire for people of all genders and sexes.
  • Trans –The term trans acts as a more inclusive term than transgender for gender non-conforming and non-binary folks.
  • Transgender – Identifying as transgender, or trans, means that one’s internal knowledge of gender is different from conventional or cultural expectations based on the sex that person was assigned at birth.
  • Two-Spirit – An umbrella term encompassing sexuality and gender in Indigenous communities. Two spirit people often serve integral and important roles in their communities, such as leaders and healers. It may refer to the embodiment of masculinity and femininity but this is not the only significance of the term. There are a variety of definitions and feelings about the term two spirit – and this term does not resonate for everyone.
  • Polyamory – The practice of or desire for intimate relations with more than one partner, with the knowledge and consent of all partners involved.
  • Questioning – The process of exploring one’s own gender identity/expression, and/or sexual orientation.
  • Queer – An umbrella term used to describe orientations or identities that fall outside of societal norms. Historically, queer has been used as a slur against the LGBTQ+ community. Some people have reclaimed the word and self-identify in opposition to assimilation. For some, this reclamation is a celebration of not fitting into social norms. Not all people who identify as LGBTQIA use “queer” to describe themselves.
  • Cisgender – A gender identity, or performance in a gender role, that society deems to match the person’s assigned sex at birth.
  • Intersex – An umbrella term to describe a wide range of natural body variations that do not fit into conventional definitions of male or female. Intersex variations may include variations in chromosome compositions, hormone concentrations, and external and internal characteristics.
  • Asexual – A sexual orientation that is characterized by not feeling or feeling low sexual attraction or desire for partnered sexuality. Some asexual people do have sex and do have varying levels of sexual attraction. They can also experience other forms of attraction such as romantic, physical, emotional, etc.
  • Aromantic – A romantic orientation characterized by not feeling or feeling low romantic attraction or desire for romance.
  • Demisexual – A sexual orientation in which someone feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond. Demisexuals are considered to be on the asexual spectrum.
  • Nonbinary – A gender identity and experience that embraces a full universe of expressions and ways of being that resonate for an individual, moving beyond the male/female gender binary
  • Gender Expression – How one expresses oneself, in terms of dress, presentation of secondary sex characteristics (i.e. breasts, body hair, voice), and/or behaviours. Society characterizes these expressions as “masculine,” “feminine,” or “androgynous.”
  • Gender Identity – A sense of one’s self as trans, genderqueer, woman, man, or some other identity, which may or may not correspond with the sex and gender one is assigned at birth.
  • Orientation – One’s attraction or non-attraction to other people.

Local & National 2SLGBTQIA+ Resources

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