Description
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning (LGBTQ) victims of intimate partner, domestic, and/or dating violence do not have consistent access to culturally competent services to prevent and address such violence. Domestic/intimate partner violence is a significant health problem among LGBTQ populations and has serious physical health, mental health, and social consequences for its victims, their families, the LGBTQ communities, and society-at-large. The intent of this Family Violence Prevention and Services Capacity-Building Demonstration grant program is to expand the capacity of both “mainstream” domestic violence organizations and LGBTQ-specific organizations to more effectively identify and address the unique needs of LGBTQ intimate partner violence victims. The successful applicant will be expected to identify and inform LGBTQ-specific prevention and intervention strategies, including screening and on-going assessment that can be replicated in local domestic violence and LGBTQ programs. Many service providers throughout the United States struggle to understand the complexities associated with identifying, serving, and supporting LGBTQ populations. Not only are the populations racially and ethnically diverse but the sub-populations within the LGBTQ umbrella often do not share similar experiences as LGBTQ individuals or as victims of intimate partner violence. Gay men, for example, have enormous difficulty accessing “mainstream” shelter services because domestic violence shelters grew from the battered women’s movement. Because the battered women’s movement was focused on sexism, patriarchy, and the abuse of male power between non-transgender people, the historical understanding of domestic violence largely excluded LGBTQ communities. Men, therefore, are often not understood to be victims within the continuum of domestic violence service provision because they are the predominant perpetrators of domestic violence within the violence against women philosophical framework. Trans-women may also be excluded from shelter because they may biologically be male and at the same time confound service providers’ understandings of sex and gender. Lesbians seeking refuge at a domestic violence shelter may encounter homophobia and bias from other residents or staff members or they may simply be confronted with the invisibility of their experience in the form of information and educational materials that only address heterosexual domestic violence. Applicants are expected to identify comprehensive and sustainable plans for capacity-building, collaboration, integration of culturally-specific and linguistically appropriate services, and supports that are consistent with the requirements authorized under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, as amended. Applicants are expected to identify an array of training, expertise, problem-solving strategies and other forms of technical assistance to Federal, State, and local governments, Tribes, Tribal organizations, domestic violence service providers, community-based organizations, LGBTQ service providers, and other professionals and interested parties, related to domestic/intimate partner and dating violence intervention and prevention services for LGBTQ victims and their children. Applicants will identify a plan that builds the capacity of the field to provide training and technical assistance to address services and programming for LGBTQ individuals. Applicants are expected to provide a plan for identifying evidence-based/evidence-informed/promising practices including a national dissemination strategy. Applicants are expected to share their expertise to lead practice improvements as well as organizational capacity-building.