Sexual Violence Against Queer And Trans Folks: Information For Support

Wherever you are at in your relationship(s) or your life, you deserve to be safe and supported

Image of a magenta Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton button displaying the words "Sexual Violence: It's not about sex. It's about power & control."

It’s important to recognize that sexual assault is about power and control; people who hold identities that have less power or privilege in our society are often more targeted with this form of violence.

In keeping with this, the rate of sexual assault is higher in communities that experience marginalization, including queer and trans folks, Indigenous and racialized folks, and disabled folks. Statistics can be hard to source for queer and trans survivors of sexual assault, however, as the stats often don’t accurately reflect the complexities of people’s intersecting identities.

It’s also important to recognize that sexual and intimate partner violence within queer and trans relationships occurs at about the same rate as in cisgender heterosexual relationships, and that 2SLGBTQ+ experiences of sexual violence may be connected to other forms of violence or discrimination targeted at gender identity or sexual orientation.

You may feel…

If you are in an unhealthy relationship, involved with someone who is abusive, or have been sexually assaulted, you may feel:

Alone, scared, depressed, and confused

Worried that if you speak to someone about the abuse that you’ll be outed to family, friends and co-workers, and even risk losing family

Anxious about being believed, what will happen, or for your safety if you reach out for help to a program, the police, a health care provider, landlord, teacher, or clergy

Worried that if you leave your partner, you will lose your friends or community

Afraid your friends or community will take your partner’s side

Worried about seeking support because you may have to navigate gender segregated services, or risk harm through a lack of knowledge or competency about trans care or 2SLGBTQ+ sexual health by professionals

Definitions

Child Sexual Abuse

The improper exposure of a child to any sexual contact, activity, or behaviour. This includes all sexual touching, the invitation to touch, exhibitionism, exposure to pornography.

Coercion

Forcing another individual, through violence, threats (physical or emotional), pressure, deception, guilt, to engage in sexual activities against their will.

Consent

A voluntary agreement between 2 or more people to engage in sexual activity. Consent must be clear, informed, voluntary, sober, act and person-specific, ongoing, mutual, active, and come directly from the individuals engaging in the sexual contact. It is impossible to get consent from children, though close-in-age  and peer-experimentation exceptions exist for youth ages 12-15.

Consent Culture

A society or environment in which obtaining consent and respecting boundaries is the norm, for both sexual contact and everyday activities.

Feminism

The advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.

An intersectional approach to service delivery that acknowledges that the root of sexual violence is power inequality and works to reduce barriers that groups and individuals face when seeking support and volunteer or employment opportunities.

Non-Consensual Photo Sharing

When an intimate photo or video is shared or taken without the voluntary consent (read consent definition above) of the person in the photo or video (Source: savedmonton.com)

Person-First Language

Person-first language recognizes that a person is more than any one experience and that labels are sometimes harmful. People who have experienced sexual violence may use terms like victim or survivor to describe themselves, or they may use words like offender or perpetrator to describe the person who harmed them. Terms that resonate for one person may not fit for another person for a variety of reasons, and SACE supports a person’s right to self-determine their identity and experience. This is why at SACE, we default to person-first language such as “person who experienced sexual assault”, or “person who used abusive behavior”, unless speaking with or about an individual who has identified how they would like their experience to be talked about.

Rape Culture

A society or environment whose prevailing social attitudes have the effect of normalizing or trivializing sexual assault and abuse.

Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is a form of sexual exploitation. Human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation is a crime and Canada has specific legislation in the Criminal Code (S. 279) and in the IRPA (Immigrant and Refugee Protection Action) (S. 117 & 118) to address all types of human trafficking (sexual exploitation, labour exploitation, organ, debt servitude) There are three elements to constitute human trafficking: Action + Means + Purpose.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is most often used to refer to Child Sexual Abuse. To learn more about this, read the definition above or our section on Child Sexual Abuse.

Sexual Assault

Any form of sexual contact without voluntary consent, including unwanted: oral contact (kissing); sexual touching; oral-genital contact; and/or vaginal or anal penetration. 

Sexual Exploitation

Any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.

Sexual Harassment

Any unwanted comment, gesture, or action that is sexual in nature that makes someone feel afraid, embarrassed, uncomfortable or ashamed. The intention of the person doing the action doesn’t matter, it’s the negative impact the action has that makes something sexual harassment.

Sexual Violence

Sexual violence is an umbrella term that refers to any form of non-consensual sexual behavior, including sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, and sexual violence facilitated through technology.

Cis or cisgender

Term for people who exclusively identify as the sex they were assigned at birth. Being cisgender does not indicate or influence a person’s sexual orientation, gender expression, physical anatomy or hormones. Note that cisgender does not have an “ed” at the end.

Gender dysphoria

Feelings of distress and/or discomfort a person might experience if they do not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender dysphoria is not an illness or flaw, but rather, a valid and natural response a person might experience when there is a disconnection between their true identity and how the medical system, state, family, friends, and/or society at large perceives them.

Misgendering

When a person refers to someone in a way that does not correctly reflect their gender identity. Misgendering can be intentional or unintentional, and often involves the use of improper pronouns. Misgendering can happen to people of all genders, but is most commonly used as a way to invalidate or discount a trans or non-binary person’s true identity.

Non-binary

Umbrella term for people of all genders who do not exclusively identify on one side of the gender binary as either a man or a woman. Gender identity is more than two options and instead exists on a spectrum of many genders. This term is also inclusive of people who do not have a gender identity or have a neutral gender identity. Not all nonbinary people identify as trans and not all trans people identify as nonbinary.

Queer

Umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. While some people find the word offensive because of its historical context as a derogatory term, many have reclaimed it as a word that is more inclusive of the wide range of sexualities and identities that fall under the 2SLGBTQIA+ spectrum, and more flexible for folks whose identities are fluid.

Trans or transgender

Umbrella term for people who do not exclusively identify as the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not indicate or influence a person’s sexual orientation, gender expression, physical anatomy or hormones. Note that transgender does not have an “ed” at the end.

Two-Spirit

An English term that originated in the ’90s used within some Indigenous communities and only by Indigenous folks that may describe someone’s cultural, spiritual, sexual and/or gender identity.

Printable PDF

A print copy of “Sexual violence in LGBTIQQ2SA+ communities: information for support” is available for download.

Download now

Things you should know

Abuse is never mutual

Abuse is not the same as consensual sexual behaviour, including BDSM

All programs at SACE are explicitly queer and trans inclusive, and we only need your pronouns and preferred name for you to access our support services. If different, a legal or previous name can be provided for SACE to support you with victim’s benefits statements or other government-facing services, but we will never require this

How trauma works

Memories can be missing, disjointed or confusing, so it can be hard for people to remember and/or talk about their experiences

People respond to trauma in all sorts of ways: there is no wrong way to respond, and all your feelings are valid

Like the grass that sways and bends, queer and trans folks can have a lot of resilience to adapt to adversity.

For help and more information

If you have experienced sexual violence, know that you are not alone: we see you, and supports are available.

SACE office

SACE services information and intake.

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Alberta's One Line

Call or text Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.