Serving Gays and Lesbians of Color Who Are Survivors of Domestic Violence

People who provide services to gay and lesbian survivors of domestic violence must reflect the diversity of the communities the serve. Strategies to diversify services may include the volunteer recruitment process. People of color should be represented among staff who do advocacy, run support groups, and provide interpretation services for survivors. Knowledge of immigration issues is essential for effective services to a diverse population, as well as awareness of how racism acts as a barrier to an effective response of the criminal justice system to gays and lesbians of color.