Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Communities

Abstract

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community includes a broad spectrum of identities, each with their own unique needs in the healthcare system. Sexual and/or gender-based violence compounds the long-term stress from discrimination that LGBTQ people face on a daily basis, shaping the complex experiences of trauma that members of this community may face with regards to their sexual orientation or gender identity. By better understanding the unique concerns of LGBTQ patients who have experienced sexual trauma, clinicians can not only improve their services to this population, but also work towards reducing these health inequities. This chapter both provides a brief description of the complex spectrum of identities among LGBTQ-identified people and describes some of the specific concerns that this population may face with regards to sexual and/or gender-based violence.