1. Resources on Campus and
the Community:
Marginalized Communities
and Interpersonal Violence
2011 PAAVE Presentation
Karoline Khamis
Violence Prevention Coordinator at JNWC

2. Introduction
The goal of this discussion is to “shift the focus” of dominant
conceptualizations of violence that maintain an idea of
victims/survivors as typically white, heterosexual women. In
addition, we aim to provide students with knowledge of
campus and community initiatives for victims of violence.
Ultimately, we aim to broaden the discussion of violence in
different communities to effectively address violence as a
social epidemic.

3. Overview
 Definitions
 Statistics
 Resources
 Violence in marginalized communities
 Cultural competency

4. The Jean Nidetch Women’s Center
 The only on campus resource for referrals to community
organizations
 Four on-staff, certified advocates
(Christina Hernandez, Karoline Khamis, Treasure Watanabe,
Crystal Jackson– 895-4475)
 Member of ASERTAV task force
 Oversees all violence prevention programming on campus
 Provides twice a year peer education training (PAAVE) on
domestic violence and sexual assault
**October 2011 training for PAAVE and hotline volunteers

5. Theoretical Framework
 Intersectionality - focuses on the intersections of race and
gender and other personal identities and aims to provide
visibility to those identities and experiences of multiple social
identities
 Extend the intersections to include the experience of domestic
violence and sexual assault

6. Definitions
 Sexual Assault: a broader category that the Justice
Department uses to classify rape, attempted rape and
other violent felonies that fall short of rape (which is
defined as strictly forced vaginal, anal or oral
penetration)
 Assault/Battering: “Physical assault is a behavior that
threatens, attempts, or actually inflicts physical harm,
ranging from slapping and hitting to using a gun” (US
Justice Department)

7. Definitions
 Marginalized: We use this term as a blanket term to
encompass social identities that are not dominant and
central in our society. This includes but is not limited
to – race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, citizen
status, class, physical and mental ability, age etc.
 Advocates: Go through extensive training to work
directly with victims/survivors every step of the
reporting and court processes immediately following
experiences of violence.

8. When is a relationship abusive?
 Many different forms of violence in a
relationship
 Often are dismissed as “isolated” or “random” acts of
anger
 Media images contribute to a social complicity of
violence and often portrays signs of violence in
relationships as signals of “passion” or “lust”
 Signs of abuse overlap and escalate

9. Verbal signs of abuse
 Has the abuser…
 Called you stupid or insulted your intelligence?
 Criticized your appearance?
 Told you that you could never leave him/her?
 Told you that you could be easily replaced?
 Said that no one else would want you?

10. Emotional signs of abuse
 Has the abuser…
 Ridiculed or insulted your gender as a group?
 Ridiculed your beliefs, morals, race, religion or
heritage?
 Humiliated you in public OR private?
 Insulted or driven away your friends or family?
 Manipulated you with lies or contradictions?
 Threatened to hurt themselves if you left?

11. Physical signs of abuse
 Has the abuser…
 Held or restrained you to keep you from leaving?
 Slapped or pushed you?
 Locked you out of the house?
 Refused to help you when you were sick, injured or
pregnant?
 Forced or aggressively pressured you to consume
alcohol or drugs?

12. Sexual signs of abuse
 Has the abuser…
 Forced you to strip when you didn’t want to?
 Been jealous or angry, assuming you have had sex
with someone else?
 Criticized you sexually?
 Forced you into unwanted sex?
 Withheld sex and affection?
 Insisted on uncomfortable or unwanted touching?

13. Financial forms of abuse
 Has the abuser…
 Taken credit cards/checks/money away as a form of
punishment?
 Forced you to hand over money or your paychecks?
 Refused to tell you about bills?
 Are they the only one “allowed” to work?
 Taken your name off crucial documents (insurance, leases)
to prevent your access to them?
 Drained your bank account?

14. Effects on Victims
 Can be short or long term
 Cutting/ self-mutilation
 Eating disorders
 Depression
 Alcohol and substance abuse
 Re-entrance into a violent relationship
 Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
 Academic Career

15. Forming Healthy Relationships

16. Same Sex (LGBTQ) Abuse
 Abuse in relationships is any pattern of behavior that is used
to coerce, dominate or isolate the other partner to gain control
 Abuse knows no boundary concerning race, class, gender,
sexual orientation etc.
 Remember, violence may take a different form in different
communities but that does not make one form more important
than another

17. Types of Victimization
 Hate Crimes
 Difficult at times to ascertain whether the crime was, in
fact, motivated by the person’s sexual orientation.
 14th Amendment: Every citizen has equal protection under
the law
 More judgment on the person’s sexual orientation than on
the attacker

18. Types of Victimization
 Sexual Violence
 By stranger
 By known individual
 By significant other
 ‘Fact’ Finding and research: Heterosexism is at work because
it is typically a heterosexual model upon which findings are
based.

19. Types of Victimization
 Domestic Violence
 Remember, DV is about power and control.
 May be especially difficult for lesbian victim
 Size does not matter
 Verbal and emotional abuse can be compounded for the
lesbian/gay/trans victim/survivor
 Threats to “out” the person
 Threats to disclose HIV/AIDS status
 Not “easier to leave”
 Individuals may be more intertwined with each other’s
lives
 What happens in DV shelters?

20. Types of Victimization:
Everyday Occurrences of Interpersonal
Violence
 Invisibility/Isolation
 Qualifiers
 Subject to gay jokes/degrading comments
 Presumption of heterosexuality
 Threats to “disown” by family
 Partner Exclusion
 Perceived danger to children
 Name calling
 Forced sexual acts (rape) to “make” them straight

21. Types of Victimization:
Barriers to Reporting Victimization
 Threat of being “outed” when an LGBTQ person is abused
 Concerned about betraying the LGBTQ community when
reporting
 Homophobia intersects with possible sexism and racism for
LGBTQ victims/survivors
 Institutionalized homophobia affects the support services
victims/survivors receive
 Shelters are often not available to men, while women may not
feel safe if their abuser has access
 Victims of same-sex sexual violence are not necessarily LGBTQ
 Lack of knowledge about LGBTQ sexual violence affects
victims/survivors, educators, and support services

22. LGBTQ Abuse
 Similarities
1. Abuse is always the responsibility of the abuser. It is
their choice.
2. Victims are often blamed for the abuse by their partner,
and by society
3. It is difficult for victims to leave their relationship.
4. Victims often feel responsible for their abuse.
5. Abuse escalates over time.
6. The abuser is often apologetic after abusing, giving false
hope that the abuse will stop.

23. LGBTQ Abuse
 Differences
1. There are limited resources available for abused and
abusive LGBTQ people.
2. Homophobia in society denies the reality of some same
sex relationships, including their very existence, let
alone abuse.
3. Shelters for women may not be sensitive to a victim of
same sex assault.
4. Gay/Bi/Trans men have even fewer options for help.
5. Reporting may result in a feeling or experience of being
excluded from the LGBTQ community.

24. Cultural Competency & Statistics
 The experience of violence carries much stigma
in our society but there are other barriers that
contribute to the lack of reporting:
 Lack of adequate services available
 Services that lack necessary tools to properly assess
violence in marginalized communities
 Lack of sensitivity training for resource providers

25. The Rape Crisis Center of Southern Nevada
Gender:
Female – 97%
Male – 3%
Race/Ethnicity:
White – 58%
Latino/Hispanic – 18%
Black – 16%
Asian – 3%
Bi-racial – 2%
Native – <1%
Unknown/Other – <1%
43% of the total 833 reported victims in 2007 were between the ages of 19-29.

26. UNLV Police Services
Reports of Forcible Sex Offenses on Campus
2007 – 3
2008 – 1
2009 – 2
2010 – 1
*Often times these crimes occur and are reported
outside of the jurisdiction of UNLV.

27. LGBTQ Statistics
 Substantial lack of current research in this area
 Domestic violence occurs in LGBTQ relationships with the
same severity and frequency as in heterosexual relationships
 Consistent abuse occurs in as many as 1 in 3 relationships
 At least one episode of abuse occurs in 1 in 2 relationships
 Lesbians are more likely to report sexual violence than gay men
 1 in 2 transgender individuals have experienced sexual violence
(FORGE)

28. Race, Gender and Violence
How are the experiences of marginalized communities concerning sexual
assault and domestic violence both perceived and treated in our society?
 Reporting is a “betrayal” to the community
 Differing gender stereotypes (black women as “too strong”, hypersexualization of
Asian women)
 “That’s just how they are” – culture blaming
How do stereotypes and cultural practices hinder one’s ability
to access adequate resources?
 Language barriers
 Service locations
 Advocate and service provider visibility
 Institutionalized racism
 Citizenship status – fear of deportation

29. Violence and Im/Migrants
 The two most common forms of abuse experienced by immigrant women are
intimate partner violence and exploitative work conditions.
• Domestic violence and sexual assault commonly occur in the home, at
immigrant detention centers, and on the job.
• Exploitative work conditions include, but are not limited to:
• poor wages
• unlimited work hours with no rest days and limited breaks
• lack of health benefits
• isolation from the outside world
• substandard physical environments.
 Immigrant women might also experience sexual, physical, emotional, or
psychological abuse at the hands of their employers.
 www.ncrwbigfive.org

30. Culturally Competent Responses
As much as the experience of violence is
isolating, services must reflect societal
demographics to adequately serve a diverse
community to prevent further isolation.
How can this be achieved?

31. Cultural Competency
 PAAVE – Since January 2009, training included a
session on cultural competency
 Jean Nidetch Women’s Center – programming on
sexual assault and domestic violence infused into
racial identity months (and LGBT pride, Women’s
history months, and Disability Recognition as well!)

32. Latin@ Resources & Outreach
 'Mapping" Latina/os in NV and Clark County
 Challenges in capturing SA stats on Latina/os and
conducting Latina/o outreach
 Cultural competent programs: what are we talking
about...?
 "Problema de Todos"- Sexual assault community
outreach program
 Resources

33. LGBTQ Resources & Outreach
 The LGBTQ Center of Las Vegas
 NV Partnership for Homeless Youth
 JNWC UNLV
 Community United Against Violence (CUAV)
 24 hr crisis line: 415-333-HELP (4357) www.cuav.org
 Matthew’s Place
 www.matthewshepard.org
 Trevor Helpline: 1-866-4-U-TREVOR
 GLBT National Youth Talkline: 1-800-246-PRIDE (7743)
 National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
 212-714-1184 www.ncavp.org
 FORGE: For Ourselves: Reworking Gender Expression
 www.forge-forward.org

34. Rethinking Violence: Myths vs. Facts
 MYTHS  FACTS
Violence only affects a small 25-50% of all women are
part of the population
abused. Battering deaths
are more common than
cancer and car accidents
combined
Fights in relationships Disagreements occur but
are normal and natural “heated” arguments must
be analyzed for signs of
violence

35. Myths vs. Facts
 Sexual assault & domestic violence
 Sexual assault & domestic do occur in LGBTQ relationships
 Domestic violence occurs in LGBTQ
violence don't occur in LGBTQ relationships as frequently and as
severely as it does in heterosexual
relationships (denial) relationships
 Level of trauma of sexual violence is
not defined by whether or not the
weapon was a penis
 LGBTQ survivors also need support
in healing
 Some key dynamics of domestic
violence are the same in all
relationships (violence is about
power & control, violence occurs in a
cycle, violence escalates over time,
etc.

36. Myths vs. Facts
 Sexual & domestic violence  There is nothing inherently
occurs in LGBTQ relationships unhealthy about these
because there is something relationships
inherently unhealthy with these  People do not abuse because they
relationships are LGBTQ (or heterosexual).
People abuse to have power &
control over another person.
 LGBTQ people can have healthy
relationships

37. Myths vs. Facts
 The bigger, more masculine or  Size, masculinity/femininity and
masculine identified person is gender identity are not causes of
always the abusive partner in a abuse and do not determine who
domestic violence relationship is the abusive partner
 Sexual and domestic violence
does not occur in butch/femme
relationships more frequently

38. Myths vs. Facts
 Sexual and domestic violence in  In all relationships, both partners
LGBTQ relationships is "mutual" can have unhealthy behavior. But
(both partners are abusive to each in domestic violence relationships,
other) mutual abuse rarely happens.
 It's easier for an LGBTQ person  The reasons why it is difficult to
to leave an abusive relationship leave an abusive relationship are
similar for all abusive
relationships.
Homo/bi/transphobic &
heterosexism also contribute to
difficulties leaving an abusive
relationship

39. Myths vs. Facts
 Sexual & domestic violence  Sexual & domestic violence
occurs in LGBTQ relationships does not occur in LGBTQ
that engage in SM play more relationships that engage in
frequently SM play more frequently
 SM play is sexual and domestic  SM play is consensual so it is
violence not abuse
 Children are never an issue in  LGBTQ people have
LGBTQ relationships children in their lives

40. Conclusion
 The small amount of local resources must include
cultural competency in order to address violence as a
larger social epidemic
 Violence transcends all identity categories. It’s
necessary to examine the specific manifestations of
violence in each individual and intersecting
community.

41. Resources on and off campus
The Jean Nidetch Women’s Center
SSC A RM 255, 895-4475
Counseling and Psychological Services
SWRC Third floor, 895-3627
Police Services
Confidential reporting: 895-3668
The Rape Crisis Center
24 hr hotline: 366-1640
S.A.F.E House
24 hr hotline: 564-3227
Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence:
http://www.nnadv.org/