LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Service Provision Mapping Study

This study maps the provision of specialist support for LGBT+ victims and survivors of domestic abuse in England and Wales. In doing so the study maps evidence of LGBT+ inclusion through 11 indicators that signal good practice; we also document services’ main funding streams and staffing resources. The key findings are: there are a small number of LGBT+ domestic abuse services – most are victim support services based in London; LGBT+ domestic abuse support is largely provided by LGBT+ ‘by and for’ organisations with a domestic abuse service; on a lesser scale, LGBT+ specialist support also exists within VAWG and generic domestic abuse organisations; no funded LGBT+ ‘by and for’ domestic abuse services exist in the South West and North East of England, or in Wales; there are no LGBT+ specific services for LGB+ and or T+ perpetrators and/or perpetrator programmes; there is a lack of emergency accommodation/ housing services for LGB+ and/or T+ people, in particular GB+ and/or T+ men; there is a lack of service provision for LGB+ and or T+ children and young people outside of London; LGBT+ ‘by and for’ domestic abuse services often work outside of their geographical remit and beyond their capacity to meet the demand; on average, LGBT+ domestic abuse services are small, with just one or two staff members employed; there are currently 3.5 FTE LGBT+ IDVAs based in 4 services – Galop, LGBT Foundation, RISE and LGBT Birmingham; most services have no main source of funding; VAWG and domestic abuse organisations providing a specialist LGBT+ service are less likely to adopt key indicators for LGBT+ inclusion relevant to the needs of nonbinary and/or trans+ service users; partnership working appears to be underdeveloped – only a small number of services indicate referral pathways to their local MARAC; two ‘by and for’ LGBT+ organisations are not funded to provide support for domestic abuse, but continue to deliver this work due to demand. (Edited publisher abstract)