BOSTON, MA —The GLBTQ Domestic Violence Project (formerly the Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project) is proud to announce its 20th Anniversary year. In 1993, Curt Rogers fled an attempted murder at the hands of his abusive partner and, while in flight, he was denied shelter at multiple domestic violence programs because he was a gay man. Rogers founded GLBTQ-DVP and the organization has grown to serve over 600 survivors annually through a 24-hour hotline, a safe home, a legal program, and a sexual assault case management program.
GLBTQ-DVP is also proud to announce it has secured a $700,000 four-year Federal contract to conduct groundbreaking research into trauma-informed services for GLBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer) survivors. The U.S. Administration for Children and Families contract is one of seven culturally-specific research contracts awarded from over 100 submitted applications. Currently, there are no evidence-based practices for working with GLBTQ survivors. The research is unprecedented and results will be disseminated nationally.
According to Greg DeCenzo, Workforce Relations and Compliance Consultant at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and the newly-elected GLBTQ-DVP Board Chair, “This award allows us to identify the first evidence-based domestic violence services for GLBTQ survivors – this is critical for both improving service delivery and increasing mainstream domestic violence programs’ ability to work with GLBTQ survivors.” The Verizon Foundation also awarded GLBTQ-DVP a $10,000 grant for community outreach and engagement activities. [pullquote]VAWA is the nation’s largest funder of domestic violence and sexual assault services and the reauthorization, for the first time, names GLBT survivors as an underserved population and prohibits VAWA grantees from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity when providing services.[/pullquote]
GLBTQ-DVP has been working on several major policy initiatives that came to fruition this month. Federal GLBT non-discrimination provisions also went into effect October 1st for the recently reauthorized Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Due to the advocacy work of GLBTQ-DVP and other programs, the reauthorized VAWA passed in February and signed by President Obama in March of this year is explicitly GLBT-inclusive. VAWA is the nation’s largest funder of domestic violence and sexual assault services and the reauthorization, for the first time, names GLBT survivors as an underserved population and prohibits VAWA grantees from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity when providing services.
In Massachusetts this month, the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual and Domestic Violence was presented with a new report focused on five underserved populations, one of which was GLBT individuals. The report (co-authored by GLBTQ-DVP) highlighted higher prevalence rates of domestic violence and sexual assault for the GLBT population and made recommendations for addressing the documented disproportionately low availability of services. The report and recommendations were shared with the full Council, chaired by Secretary Andrea Cabral, Executive Office of Public Safety and Secretary John Polanowicz, Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
About GLBTQ-DVP: The organization, founded in 1994, provides support and services to victims and survivors of domestic violence who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (GLBTQ). For individuals who are seeking services, the organization has a 24-hour hotline, an emergency safe home, crisis intervention, direct legal representation, sexual assault case management, and police and court accompaniment.
[From a News Release]
