No Exceptions - Gender-Based Violence Touches Everyone

Gender-based violence (GBV) is not another name for the violence that occurs within heterosexual unions and even more specifically, the abuse of heterosexual women by heterosexual men in those unions.  “Violence directed at homosexuals and transgendered individuals is also GBV,” asserts Joel Simpson, Founder and Co-Chairperson of in Guyana’s Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD). Because of the limited understanding of GBV, attacks on members of the LGBT community “do not count or get counted.” “LGBT are popular targets for hate crimes at the hands of the general community and that is our biggest source of GBV.” Unfortunately, statistics on hate crimes do not exist in Guyana.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is any form of violence that is rooted in gender inequality. GBV cuts across class, ethnicity, age, geographic location, sex and sexual orientation. “GBV directed at the LGBT community may be physical or sexual. It’s also verbal and emotional abuse, public ridicule and faith-based assaults in which we are called an abomination that they need to pray away,” Simpson shared. “We are targeted from childhood to adulthood because of who we are.”

Intimate partner violence also occurs within the LGBT community. However homophobia and the illegal status of same-sex sexual behaviour seriously impede progress in reaching sexual minorities with life-saving services. Homophobia, transphobia and non-enforcement of domestic violence laws inhibit help-seeking for intimate partner violence (IPV) among LGBT. The stigma attached to being LGBT and gender norms that ridicule men who can be beaten present insurmountable barriers for many. People are just not coming forward to report these abuses. Often, when they do it’s too late.  Heterosexual women have great difficulty much less a gay woman or a transgender woman going to the police station to say I need help for domestic violence when the police do not even deal with heterosexual women in a fair way.

Findings from Guyana’s Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey released on November 19 showed that among 543 men in homosexual relationships:

•  22% experienced violence at the hand of their intimate  partner
•  22% reported being raped 

SASOD works to end GBV, stigma and discrimination against sexual and gender minorities in Guyana.  It documents complaints, helps survivors report GBV, advocates for protection orders, restraining orders, medical care, psychosocial, material and legal support including pro bono legal assistance. For more information on where to get help for GBV, call (592) 225-7283.

We can change community attitudes and law enforcement response to GBV. Find out what you can do to help. sasod.org.gy