Abuse Based on Gender Identity
People of any gender can be victims of and affected by abuse; any time, in any place.
By Cecelia Heckman
Different Types of Abuse Impact all Types of People
Abuse is not exclusive.
Psychological, physical, emotional and sexual abuse does not discriminate. Abuse affects all people, no matter where they fall in society. Heterosexual and same-sex couples, all age groups, all economic statuses and ethnic backgrounds, women, men and members of the LGBTQ+ community have all experienced abuse in one way or another.
“In some communities, women are raised with the message that you should be subservient to a man’s needs, including sexually, which means that there are some girls and women who are raised to think if he wants it, I have to give it to him. I consider that misogynist. It’s certainly unfair to women,” Mark Kiselica, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Cabrini University, said.
“We have absolutely worked with folks in the LGBT community and I think it’s so important to understand, number one, that people that are trans or don’t identify or identify in that community often times are targeted because of their sex and sexuality. One in two trans folks have been victimized by sexually violence, that is a huge number,” Angela Rose, Founder and Executive Director of Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment (PAVE), said.
“There was a study that came out that showed that 50 percent of high school students experienced sexual assault or harassment in school. That’s huge and for a lot of these young men and women that we’re working with, I think the key to social change is really engaging both young men and women to be a part of the solution,” Rose said.
Author of “Daddy, Don’t Touch Me There” Monique Doran said. “My father started to change as far as being a father and responsible. Our relationship started to become more sexual. From the age of 11 to 13, I was taunted by him everyday. Threatened, because he was a cop, that if I ever spoke up, he would kill me and my sister. And that continued until finally I got enough courage to tell my mom in the summer of 1999.”
“Abuse is not to be condoned, accepted or tolerated by anyone from anyone. Everyone deserves respect, love and safety.”
“Be it sexual assault, domestic violence, rape, dating violence, stalking, there is help out there. That it’s not your fault. There is nothing you did to make this happen. And that you deserve to be safe and comfortable and free. So seek help, find someone to talk to. I’m not saying you have to report it, you can report it, but find someone to talk to. Cause you can’t hold it in. You can’t we shouldn’t be holding anything in,” Tommie Wilkins, Violence Against Women grant coordinator at Cabrini University, said.
By Carmen Frias
