{"id":2048,"date":"2016-06-09T11:34:00","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T11:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/safehorizon.harbordev.co\/uncategorized-en\/why-lgbt-youth-are-susceptible-to-sexual-abuse\/"},"modified":"2023-10-28T11:09:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-28T15:09:30","slug":"why-lgbt-youth-are-susceptible-to-sexual-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/safe-horizon-in-the-news\/why-lgbt-youth-are-susceptible-to-sexual-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Why LGBT Youth Are Susceptible to Sexual Abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Advocate<\/em>
\nBy Fabio Cotza<\/em>
\nJune 9, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Excerpt Below:<\/p>\n

It\u2019s June and you can\u2019t escape the rainbow.<\/p>\n

As an openly gay man, I am proud to wave my rainbow flag. And so do countless corporations, media outlets, and politicians bringing an increased amount of attention to the LGBTQ community this time of year.<\/p>\n

For a long time, the issue to rally behind was same-sex marriage. This meant a lot to me and my husband. Last year, a divided Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples can marry nationwide. After much celebration, the LGBTQ community collectively asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s next?\u201d<\/p>\n

While youth homelessness and violence in our community are among the most urgent issues we need to address, another, perhaps less talked about issue, is child sexual abuse.<\/p>\n

Of children who are sexually abused, 20 percent are abused before the age of 8.<\/p>\n

I was one of them.<\/p>\n

My landlord\u2019s teenage son approached me on the sidewalk as I was playing and asked if I wanted to see all the toys in the basement. His family had been so nice to mine \u2014 I had no reason to not trust him, and my mind was full of curiosity of all the cool toys he would have.<\/p>\n

It was a nightmare.<\/p>\n

The things that happened behind those doors are now painful memories that I must live with forever.<\/p>\n

Today, as the senior director of Safe Horizon\u2019s Bronx Child Advocacy Center, I understand that it wasn\u2019t my fault. I was a target. He had my trust. I was young. I was only 8.<\/p>\n

Perpetrators often believe that they can abuse with impunity because LGBTQ youth are already labeled as different by society and too often rejected by peers as well as family. Who will believe them if they come forward? Will anyone even care?<\/p>\n

All of this paints the same picture: Child sexual abuse is an urgent issue and it deserves the LGBTQ community\u2019s collective and immediate attention.<\/p>\n

We need to stand together and demand justice for our community. But what does justice look like?<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, in my home state of New York, you receive a devastating present on your 23rd birthday as a survivor of childhood sex abuse. Your ability to file charges on most forms of childhood sex abuse expires.<\/p>\n

I always say that I came out twice in life. First as a gay man in my early 20s and then at age 28 as a survivor of sexual assault when I was more able to process the horrible thing that happened to me and speak out. But unbeknownst to me, I was five years too late. My opportunity to file charges had expired. I often wonder, why do these arbitrary time limits exist when it can take years for a survivor to come forward? As it did for me.<\/p>\n

So, now with marriage equality having been realized and with the question \u201cWhat\u2019s next?\u201d I call on the LGBTQ community to make addressing the issues of child sexual abuse a priority. First, by supporting legislation, such as the Child Victims Act, currently before the New York legislature that would greatly expand the ability of adult survivors to seek civil and criminal damages. It would also create a one-year window for survivors to retroactively file civil damages against their abusers.<\/p>\n

Other states have already done it. What’s taking New York so long? Legislation including retrospective civil windows have passed in California, Delaware, Hawaii, and Minnesota, to name a few. Abusers should not be able to run out the clock. Not in New York. Not anywhere.<\/p>\n

Survivors of this heinous crime, like myself, deserve justice.<\/p>\n

Read the original article here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Leaders of the Transgender Support Group: Program Assistant\u00a0Alahna Brown, Youth Advocate\u00a0Brenda Duran, and\u00a0Manager of Mpowerment\u00a0Ivan Monforte<\/em><\/p>\r\nAt Safe Horizon\u2019s Streetwork Project<\/a>, we help homeless youth and teens by providing basic necessities and access to the essential services they need to survive.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, many of these young people become homeless or suffer abuse because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, including being transgender. According to\u00a0National Coalition for the Homeless, 40% of homeless or at-risk youth identify as gay or transgender.\u00a0To better serve the transgender community at Streetwork, two staff members created a support group called \u201cWhat\u2019s the T?\u201d\r\n\r\nStreetwork\u2019s Manager of Mpowerment Ivan Monforte and Youth Advocate Brenda Duran named the transgender support group \u201cWhat\u2019s the T?\u201d which is a pun of \u201cwhat\u2019s the gossip.\u201d Established around 2007, the monthly\u00a0support group meets at Streetwork\u2019s Harlem Drop-in Center and provides a safe, judgement-free space where transgender and gender non-conforming homeless youth can feel free to be themselves.\r\n\r\n\"We let each individual define who they are, \"\u00a0Ivan explains.<\/em>\u00a0\"We tell them not to let society tell them who they are regardless of presentation.\u201d<\/em>\r\n\r\n\"Whats\r\n\r\nIn addition to community building and emotional support, the group assists young people with their transitions by providing\u00a0items to help them present in their preferred gender, and in turn avoid harassment and discrimination. Some of the items available include: binders and packers for transgender men, and wigs and make up for transgender women, as well as clothing that matches their identity. A Streetwork Youth Advocate, Kathleen Cash, has even lent her skills as a makeup artist to help transgender women present in a way that aligns more with the way they feel inside, and help build their self-esteem and self-worth.\r\n\r\nStreetwork support groups like \u201cWhat's the T?\u201d create an inclusive, nurturing environment for homeless teens no matter what their gender identification. We are proud to support these young people as they seek refuge from the stark realities of life on the streets.","post_title":"Streetwork Transgender Support Group Asks What\u2019s The T?","post_excerpt":"Streetwork Project\u2019s transgender support group \u201cWhat\u2019s The T?\u201d provides a safe, judgement-free space for homeless transgender and gender non-conforming youth to be themselves.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"streetwork-transgender-support-group-asks-whats-the-t","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-10 13:20:50","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-10 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