A dedicated support line launched today aims to end the trauma for LGBTQ+ rape victims who are unable to access help when needed.
More than half (53%) of people in the community have been subjected to sexual violence in their lives, according to the latest YouGov data for 2022.
Research from LGBTQ+ anti-abuse charity Galop uncovered that most victims had bad experiences with mainstream services.
‘After the judgmental response I never went back and I have not accessed support since then,’ one survivor, who wished to remain anonymous, stressed.
Another said: ‘There were a few times I felt like I was speaking a foreign language and had to explain some really basic stuff.’
Galop’s new rape and sexual abuse helpline hopes to give survivors ‘a safe space’, where they will not fear being discriminated against or being ‘outed’.
Leni Morris, the charity’s CEO, told Metro.co.uk that non-specialist services do not understand that a sexual assault is sometimes motivated by someone’s LGBTQ+ identity.
‘Victims are worried about having to educate someone they are seeking help from about their identity,’ she said.
‘There is also quite often a barrier for victims of sexual abuse where they are very concerned that they are going to experience prejudice.
‘As a result, we found that a significant proportion of people in our community do not come forward about what had happened to them.
‘The majority of people just feel more comfortable opening up to other members about it.’
‘It is about time LGBTQ+ people have the support of an organisation nationwide.’
Just recently, Leni said Galop had been contacted by a gay man who was sexually assaulted by another gay man.
How to use the helpline?
Galop’s rape and sexual abuse helpline is available from Monday to Thursday, from 10am to 8.30pm, and Friday, from 10am to 4.30pm.
Contact the Helpline by phone on 0800 999 5428 or via [email protected]
When he reported the crime, he was allegedly told that ‘this is just what gay men do and that is what the community is like’.
The charity is not trying to replace any other services currently available, just give survivors the option to speak to someone who is a member of the community and has had ‘in-depth’ training, and offers one-to-one support.
But Leni acknowledged that confidence in police and the criminal justice system in general has fallen.
It is also often the case Gallop would be the first port of call for survivors about a a non-consensual sexual experience.
This is why Leni stressed the importance of launching the UK helpline, which is now open from Monday to Friday.
Leni added: ‘You never really know what the reaction of the person on the other end of the phone is going to be as an LGBTQ+ person, so creating a service like this cuts out that worry.
‘We definitely see examples of people being faced with homophobia, biphobia or transphobia when trying to report an incident.
‘There is also a decent proportion who choose to go through the criminal justice system without revealing that they are LGBTQ+ to avoid those kind of attitudes.
‘The fundamental difference with our helpline is that everyone who works here is LGBTQ+ – every single person who answers an email or picks up the phone
‘They also have very in-depth training on rape and sexual abuse. We also have the ability to support people one-to-one for longer.’
Galop also runs three other national lines – for LGBTQ+ survivors of hate crime, domestic abuse, and conversion therapy.
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