LGBT Community and Gender Violence

The rate of domestic violence and statistics on abuse in the LGBTQ community are difficult to determine because there is a high number of unreported cases. Despite similar rates of domestic violence in the LGBTQ community compared to the heterosexual community, LGBTQ people face barriers to leaving an abusive relationship that heterosexual victims often do not have to face. It is generally thought that domestic violence is something that happens to heterosexual women and is committed by heterosexual men. Therefore, most services are aimed at helping heterosexual women, which can make LGBTQ victims feel isolated and misunderstood.