RSSLGBT sexual violence discussed
By Brooke Blythe
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: News
"I think in most cases, girls are taught about rape so that they know how to report it, and guys are taught about it so they know not to do it," Frick said.
Diggs and Issadore said society's lack of knowledge about LGBT sexual violence makes it difficult for victims to get assistance.
"Rape kits test women victims for the presence of their predator's bodily fluids," Diggs said. "If these are not found, which is the case when a woman has been abused by another woman; people have a hard time believing survivors. This makes women abused by the same sex avoid reporting their assault."
Shelters are another support service many members of LGBT community cannot necessarily rely on, Diggs said. Shelters are often not available to men, and some women may not feel safe attending a shelter.
"It's the most mind-blowing thing when you think about it," Diggs said. "We take for granted the fact that women usually provide safe protective environments for abused women and survivors. But the reality is that it will never feel like a safe place for a woman who has been abused by another woman."
Megan Pendleton, '10, said she attended the lecture to learn how sexual violence affected the LGBT community at Lehigh in particular.
"The program definitely opened my eyes to the reality of sexual violence in general, but especially in the LGBT community," Pendleton said. "Not many people know that same-sex sexual violence occurs, and they definitely don't know it occurs on the Lehigh campus."
Diggs and Issadore said sexual violence is a relevant concern for everyone, and the stigma for the members in the LGBT community who experience it needs to be destroyed.
"If you're going to be an ally of woman and of sexual abuse survivors, you must also be any ally of the LGBT community," Diggs said.
Diggs and Issadore will be giving a presentation this month at the National Conference on Sexual Violence in our Schools. They will address sexual violence and speak specifically about the considerations a lesbian or gay person might face when confronted with issues of sexual violence.
Diggs and Issadore said society's lack of knowledge about LGBT sexual violence makes it difficult for victims to get assistance.
"Rape kits test women victims for the presence of their predator's bodily fluids," Diggs said. "If these are not found, which is the case when a woman has been abused by another woman; people have a hard time believing survivors. This makes women abused by the same sex avoid reporting their assault."
Shelters are another support service many members of LGBT community cannot necessarily rely on, Diggs said. Shelters are often not available to men, and some women may not feel safe attending a shelter.
"It's the most mind-blowing thing when you think about it," Diggs said. "We take for granted the fact that women usually provide safe protective environments for abused women and survivors. But the reality is that it will never feel like a safe place for a woman who has been abused by another woman."
Megan Pendleton, '10, said she attended the lecture to learn how sexual violence affected the LGBT community at Lehigh in particular.
"The program definitely opened my eyes to the reality of sexual violence in general, but especially in the LGBT community," Pendleton said. "Not many people know that same-sex sexual violence occurs, and they definitely don't know it occurs on the Lehigh campus."
Diggs and Issadore said sexual violence is a relevant concern for everyone, and the stigma for the members in the LGBT community who experience it needs to be destroyed.
"If you're going to be an ally of woman and of sexual abuse survivors, you must also be any ally of the LGBT community," Diggs said.
Diggs and Issadore will be giving a presentation this month at the National Conference on Sexual Violence in our Schools. They will address sexual violence and speak specifically about the considerations a lesbian or gay person might face when confronted with issues of sexual violence.
