At Para Los Niños, our commitment to whole-child care means showing up for every child—exactly as they are. During Pride Month, we reaffirm that commitment by highlighting voices across our organization working to make children and families feel seen, safe, and supported. This month, we’re sharing three stories that show how solidarity can grow through storytelling.

Pride Month provides an important opportunity to bring awareness to critical issues affecting the community, including domestic and dating violence. Para Los Niños’ Domestic Violence Support Services (DVSS) Program held two closed group workshops in English and in Spanish called “Fostering Visibility for Marginalized LGBTQIA+ Survivors of Domestic Violence,” in which community members learned of the many intersections within DV & the LGBTQIA+ community that can increase risks and barriers to care.

Understanding key concepts such as domestic violence and intimate partner violence is essential, as LGBTQIA+ survivors often face unique challenges when trying to break the cycle of abuse compared to their cisgender and heterosexual counterparts. According to market data aggregated by World Metrics, only 17 states have laws explicitly protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from intimate partner violence and 62% of LGBTQ+ survivors report difficulty getting protection orders due to laws excluding gender identity.

PLN’s workshops included raising community awareness around dating violence, identifying signs of healthy vs unhealthy relationships, and highlighting how critical prevention and support can be. To address and prevent these issues, practical safety planning strategies and access to resources are essential in supporting survivors and promoting well-being within the LGBTQ+ community.

“Seeking help when experiencing power and control interpersonal oppression can be intimidating,” said Teresita Nevarez, DVSS Case Manager and facilitator of these groups, “And when you add external oppressions into the equation (homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, etc.), this can wear a survivor down and damage their mental and overall wellbeing. Every person deserves to be heard, believed, seen, supported, and treated with respect.”

Workshop participants also shared their thoughts, demonstrating that shared understanding creates a community of greater solidarity and care:

“Within that community they go through the same things we do. But there is not enough services for the LGBTQ+ community… I learned so much today.”

“I did know there was a lot of DV within the LGBTQ community, but it is very prevalent… Hopefully, there are more rights that are respected. Anyone can harm anyone.”

“The problem in society is that issues are resolved with violence. Our society ought to be better. Our beliefs divide us and create conflict over absurd things. Just as I want to be respected, I respect others, too. We would live more peacefully if we respected one another. They are people just like us—they have feelings and deserve to be accepted.”

It is critical to continue sharing diverse experiences with one another, to support, believe, and listen to survivors and to empower survivors to explore what safety looks like for them.

Resources:

• Los Angeles LGBTQ Center | (323) 993-7400
  • If you are looking for mental health or other support services in Los Angeles, you can reach the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Stop Violence Program directly at 323-860-5806 or email at stopviolence@lalgbtcenter.org.
  • If you are looking for legal support, you can also reach out to the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Legal Advocacy Program for Survivors at (323-993-7649) or email at laps@lalgbtcenter.org.
• National LGBTQ Institute on Intimate Partner Violence | (212) 714-1141
• The Trevor Project | (866) 488-7386
• Rainbow Services | (310) 547-9343
• National Domestic Violence Hotline | 799.SAFE (7233)