IACP Working For You: Law Enforcement Guidelines and Strategies for Addressing Sexual Violence in the LGBTQ Community

Sexual violence affects every demographic and every community, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) individuals. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects (NCAVP) estimates that nearly 1 in 10 LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence has experienced sexual assault by their partners. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals who self-identify as lesbian, gay, and bisexual experience intimate partner violence at similar or higher rates than self-identified heterosexual individuals. The alarming rates of sexual violence within the LGBTQ community warrant a strategic response from law enforcement, including the implementation of effective policies and procedures to address the specific needs of individuals who identify as LGBTQ and to build and sustain positive, healthy relationships between law enforcement and the LGBTQ community.