Safety Planning for Pets
A number of domestic violence, animal protection, and other family violence prevention agencies have created materials to help abuse victims include the welfare of their animals when making their plans to protect themselves and their family. The following are some representative samples of some of these materials: The National Link Coalition presents them in hopes that they may help other agencies to create their own publications for local use.
"Nearly 1 in 4 women are raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, cohabitating partner, or date at some time in their lifetime" (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). In one 24-hour period, 18,569 women, 1,054 men and 18 transgendered individuals received services from their local domestic violence provider (US). Given that more than 72 million U.S. households (62% of all homes) have companion animals as pets (APPMA, 2011), it is inevitable that some of those households will experience both domestic violence and animal abuse. In fact, in a 2009 study on the co-occurrence of domestic violence, child abuse and animal abuse, it was found that 17.8% of children were exposed to two forms of violence and 4.1% exposed to all three forms of violence in the home. A strong link was found between witnessing/perpetrating animal abuse and child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and severe domestic violence. Moreover, when witnessing animal cruelty interacted with child maltreatment or exposure to domestic violence, the risk of animal cruelty increased; and when domestic violence was limited to the most severe cases, exposed individuals were more likely to have witnessed animal abuse (DeGue and DiLillo, 2009).
Most conflict in gender-integrated shelters arises over issues that are universal in all shelters, such as conflicts over space or possessions, personality clashes, and so forth. That said, conflict that occurs due to gender-based bias, prejudice, and discrimination can present itself on all levels of an organization and, if not handled properly, can have a devastating effect.
This Booklet is written for sexual violence (SA) and domestic violence (DV) victim services organizations to provide a basic understanding of policies and practices that promote nondiscrimination and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals. DV and SA organizations provide vitally important services to individuals who have experienced or are experiencing domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking. Engaging in a process to ensure that your entire organization embraces nondiscrimination and inclusion promotes an environment of safety, acceptance, respect, compassion, empowerment, and individuality of all.
Gender integration provides an opportunity for a shelter to reassess and improve safety measures; at the same time, it's important to be prepared to counter the illusion that integrating survivors of all genders inherently makes a shelter less safe. All survivors seeking access to a shelter are doing so because of a need for safety, and survivors of all genders deserve support in feeling as secure as possible.
Over 50% of trans and gender non-binary people have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives. One in two.
Our community has one of the highest incidences of sexual violence ever documented. What does this fact mean to us as individuals and a community? Obviously, the answers to that question are virtually endless, as each person reacts to their unique history as both a trans or gender non-binary person and a sexual assault survivor in their own way. The reactions range the gamut between these two poles, both said to FORGE in answer to our 2004 question of trans sexual assault survivors,
FORGE believes that one of the most important things trauma survivors need to learn is how to trust ourselves. e ideas and resources in this guide are just suggestions. We urge you to seek out other skilled advice and options, and to then trust your heart and brain in what they tell you to try. When something you try doesn't work, take what you've learned and try something else.
Espavo. Thank you for taking your power and picking up this publication.
Since some people never get beyond the rst page of a book or report, it is very important to us to make sure you — a partner, friend, loved one or supporter of a transgender1 or gender non-binary survivor of sexual assault, sexual coercion, sexual threats, unwanted sexual or other physical touch, sexual violence within a dating or intimate relationship, or sex with an older person who should have known you were too young to understand all the implications — hear the most important things we would like you to know. So if you read nothing else, please read this Welcome.
Over 50% of trans people have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives. These survivors have friends, partners, family members, and loved ones. These folks may also be trans, or they may not be. They may be survivors too, or they may not be. The communities that care about trans survivors, and the individuals in those communities, need access to support and resources too.
There are many sections to this safety planning document in order to provide a more comprehensive tool. It may feel long and overwhelming. Consider reading only a few sections at a time. Remember also that any step you take to improve your safety is important; you do not need to take them all.
Ideally, people using this Safety Planning tool should write out their answers and notes, to help solidify their thinking and so they can access help remembering their plans if they are under stress, such as during an episode of violence. HOWEVER, it is EXTREMELY important that these notes – whether they be on paper or electronic – NOT be left anywhere where an abuser could find them.
2003 was the year when a transgender sexual assault survivor attempted to access help from law enforcement, sexual assault service providers, crime victim compensation, lawyers, advocates, and therapists, and was repeatedly denied service or revictimized by the system. We wondered: Is sexual violence against trans people this prevalent everywhere? Are services that are supposed to help survivors this dysfunctional and damaging to trans people in other parts of the country?
Although it is critical to improve mainstream services' ability to appropriately and respectfully respond to the needs of transgender sexual assault survivors and their loved ones, our 2004 study found that many trans survivors turn to the internet and self-help materials rather than, or in addition to, services from therapists or sexual assault programs. Unfortunately, many self-help and internet-based materials are highly steeped in binary gender stereotypes, making them painful reading for some transgender and gender non-binary survivors. In addition, none of those materials addresses the specific complexities that face survivors who are not only trying to find their way through the morass of feelings and memories about the assault(s), but who are also trying to cope with how gender identity issues interact with and complicate the picture.