Lyzanne Malfitano has been a hotline shift supervisor at the Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline for five years. She is the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning) staff trainer for the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago 40-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training. She is also a mental health counselor and provides counseling to women and LGBTQ adults at the Chicago Women’s Health Center, focusing on feminist-relational, trauma-informed counseling.

Lyzanne, a queer cisgender woman, spoke with Joyful Heart about her work with LGBTQ survivors and the ways service providers can better support these communities.

What drew you to your work with sexual assault survivors?

As a survivor of sexual abuse and sexual assault, I wanted to advocate for policy change on an institutional level to better support survivors, and be a support for other survivors on an individual level. As a therapist, I work with survivors of sexual assault who identify within the LGBTQ community, and this has been an incredible opportunity to see the resilience of folks who have gone through nightmare situations.

Does abuse look different in LGBTQ relationships? How so?

I know that statistically, rates of intimate partner violence are slightly higher in LGBTQ relationships. Through research and education, I've realized violence is cyclical, and so folks who experienced violence and abuse while growing up may normalize this violence and perpetrate it in their adult relationships. Recognizing that folks in the LGBTQ community have added layers of oppression gives an understanding to how they have experienced more violence and abuse than the general population.

What challenges do LGBTQ survivors face that other survivors may not?

I don’t know any other survivors who need to worry about “coming out” to medical staff, law enforcement, advocates, and potentially their support systems when they’re trying to get help. We know transgender people have experienced harassment, abuse, and assault by medical practitioners and police; their fears about being discriminated against while reporting are very real. Another challenge is thinking about how disclosing violence within intimate relationships may confirm some stereotypes about LGBTQ relationships being inherently inferior or unhealthy. It’s a lot for a person to have to weigh after experiencing violence.

Are there any misconceptions about the experiences of LGBTQ survivors? How can we best address them?

One thing that might be a misconception is that LGBTQ folks do experience a higher rate of stranger-perpetrated violence because of transphobia and homophobia. Working in the sexual assault field has proven the majority of sexual assaults are perpetrated by dates, partners, and acquaintances, but this is not as true for LGBTQ survivors. We can address this in our work by keeping in mind how violence driven by fear and hatred of a group of people can impact a survivor’s feelings of blame and guilt.

From a policy perspective, what types of reform are needed to ensure LGBTQ survivors are treated fairly and equally?

Removing gender-based language from emergency treatment plans would be an amazing first step. Working with transgender survivors who have changed their gender markers can create issues if they need medication or treatment deemed “gender-specific.” Emergency contraception and genital exams are needed for many survivors regardless of gender identity and transition status. A survivor shouldn’t be turned away from necessary care because their gender marker is male, yet they might still be at risk for pregnancy as a result of assault. I also advocate for a change from the gender violence model, which is that sexual assault is a crime against women perpetrated by men. This paradigm is really difficult for survivors who don’t fit that model, and assume that services may not exist for them.

How can someone best support an LGBTQ survivor of domestic or sexual violence?

Take some time to educate yourself around LGBTQ issues on your own. There are amazing resources like FORGE in Wisconsin, which has archived webinars about working with survivors of violence in the trans community. We as helpers shouldn’t rely on a survivor of violence to educate us about their identity and experience while they’re coming in for help. Practice pronouns and practice asking for someone’s pronouns if it’s a stumbling block for you. On an institutional level, check out and support legislation that will benefit LGBTQ survivors of violence, and get your legislators on board.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual or domestic violence, please know you are not alone. For support after sexual assault, contact RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 1-800-656-4673 or chat at online.rain.org. Learn more about how violence affects LGBTQ communities, including LGBTQ-specific resources. Se puede obtener ayuda en Español. Learn how you can support a survivor.