Why Screen? The Importance of an Intimate Partner Abuse Screening Tool for LGBQ/T Communities and Families

Title: Why Screen? The Importance of an Intimate Partner Abuse Screening Tool for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer and/or Transgender (LGBQ/T) Communities and Families

Date: April 3, 2018

Webinar Description:

Screening is a process that can help any service provider determine if abuse is happening in a relationship. It also helps one know whether they are speaking to a survivor or a partner who abuses. This is an important skill to have when working as a domestic violence (DV) provider with lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and/or transgender (LGBQ/T) individuals. This skill also helps a DV worker provide the appropriate services to the appropriate person and ensure the safety of survivors and providers. The webinar will use an intersectional approach, and will focus on the impact screening has on youth and People of Color. We will talk about why screening for abuse is important, and how screening guides the ways young people and families access supportive services. We will explain how screening affects the messages we send about what is and is not acceptable in relationships and family dynamics. We will also address common hesitancies to screening, and talk about the dangers of not screening. This webinar will begin to introduce some of the similarities and differences between partner abuse in heterosexual, cisgender relationships, and LGBQ/T relationships. Finally, we’ll provide instructions to implement a practice of screening using The Intimate Partner Abuse Screening Tool for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Relationships, which is based on the experience of working with LGBQ/T survivors of partner abuse.

Learning Objectives:

As a result of this webinar, participants will be better able to:

• Explain the definitions and dynamics of partner abuse in LGBQ/T relationships;
• Discuss the importance of screening in the context of partner abuse, in order to determine if abuse is happening in a relationship, and to distinguish between the survivor and the abusive partner in LGBQ/T and all other kinds of relationships;
• Highlight the positive impact of screening on providing services and support to young people and families;
• Talk about the importance of screening within their organizations and advocate for implementation of screening as a way to ensure that the appropriate and intended resources are being given to the appropriate person.

Presenters:

• Raimi Marx, Interim Education Associate, The Network/La Red
• JP Delgado Galdamez, Outreach and Education Associate, The Network/La Red

Questions? Please contact Mie Fukuda at mfukuda@futureswithoutviolence.org.
This webinar is supported by Grant Number 90EV0434-01-00 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Points of view in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.