Title of Webinar: Bisexual Crime Victims: Least Visible, Most at Risk

Slide 1: Bisexual Crime Victims: Least Visible, Most at Risk	
* Loree Cook-Daniels and michael munson
* June 17, 2019

Slide 2: Thank you OVC !
* This training was produced by FORGE under 2016-XV-GX-K015, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this training are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Slide 3: Welcome & Housekeeping
* Take care of yourself
* Interactive
* Participation is TOTALLY optional
* PPTs
* IMAGE of a person with their hair dyed pink hugging themselves

Slide 4: FORGE Webinar Leads
* Loree Cook-Daniels
* Policy & Program Director
* PORTRAIT of Loree Cook-Daniels
* michael munson
* Executive Director
* PORTRAIT of michael munson

Slide 5: FORGEÕs Role in Resource Center
* One of eight population groups
* FORGE leads the LGBTQ working group
* National transgender anti-violence group
* Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
* Facebook 	     
* Twitter
* Instagram 

Slide 6: Agenda
* Makeup of the LGBTQ community
* Bisexuality: Definitions and Data
* Invisibility
* Disparities (victimization, health, other)
* Best or worst of both worlds?
* Service provider barriers
* What providers can do to help
* Take home messages 

Slide 7: Makeup of U.S. LGB Community
* Pie chart of the LGB community:
o 52% of LGB community is bisexual
o 31% is gay male
o 17% is lesbian
* Further dividing the bisexual group by gender,
o 33% of all LGB people are bisexual women
o 19% of all LGB people are bisexual men

Slide 8: Our definition of bisexual
* A person who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to individuals of their own gender and to individuals of other genders.

Slide 9: U.S. Bisexual more female, People of Color (POC)
* Latest (2018) U.S. data on bisexuals
* By gender:
* 5.6% of women identify as bisexual
* 0.6% of men
* By race (selected):
* 2.5% of white individuals
* 6.5% of African-American individuals
* LGBT Map: Invisible Majority: LGBT Map: Invisible Majority

Slide 10: % of bisexuals is growing  (1 of 2)
* BAR GRAPH of U.S. Bisexuals in 2008 versus 2018:
o In 2008, 1.1% of all U.S. adults identified as bi and in 2018 it is  3.3%
o 3.3% of African American adults in the U.S identified as Bi in 2008, compared to 6.5% in 2018
* 2018 General Social survey data: 2018 General Social Survey Data

Slide 11: % of bisexuals is growing  (2 of 2)
BAR GRAPH of Bar chart of U.S. bisexual youth that includes the averages from 2001-2009 versus 2015:

* The percentage of U.S. youth identifying as bisexual has gone from 3.7% on average 2001-2009, to 6.0% in 2015.
* 2018 General Social survey data: LGBT Map: Invisible Majority

Slide 12: More likely to have opposite-sex partners
* 84% bisexuals in a committed relationship are involved with someone of the opposite sex
* 4% have trans partner/spouse (in addition to 84%)
* Why?
* Most of the population is heterosexual, so they would be more likely to choose an opposite-sex partner (bisexual or not)
* LGBT Map: Invisible Majority: LGBT Map: Invisible Majority

Slide 13: Victimization disparities
* Hate crimes may be lower (due to invisibility)
* We will look mostly at interpersonal violence by known perpetrators
* What we do not know (yet) is whether such violence is higher if the perpetrator knows the victim identifies as bisexual or has relationships with both men and women
* But the disparities are interestingÉÉ

Slide 14: Intimate Partner Violence
* BAR GRAPH shows the lifetime rates of people experience rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.
o Bisexual women had the highest rate, at 61.1%.
o Lesbian women were next highest, at 43.8%
o Bisexual men experienced a rate even higher than heterosexual women Ð 37.3% of bisexual men vs. 35% of heterosexual women.
o Heterosexual men have a lifetime rate of 29%
o Gay men have a lifetime rate of 26%
* 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey

Slide 15: Sexual violence other than rape (Lifetime)
BAR GRAPH showing the lifetime rates of sexual violence other than rape:
Bisexual women and bisexual men have the highest lifetime rates of sexual violence, followed by lesbian and heterosexual women and gay men. Heterosexual men have the lowest rates.
* Bisexual women: 74.9%
* Bisexual Men: 47.4%
* Lesbian Women: 46.4%
* Heterosexual women: 43.3%
* Gay men: 40.2%
* Heterosexual men: 20.8%
2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey

Slide 16: Victimization among youth by sexual orientation
BAR GRAPHS showing types of victimization by sexual orientation:
* Bisexual youth were far more likely than either heterosexual or lesbian/gay youth to be bullied electronically, bullied on school property, or forced to have sexual intercourse.  
Of youth forced to have sexual intercourse:
* 16% were gay or lesbian
* 5% were heterosexual
* 12% were unsure
* 21% were bisexual. 
Of youth bullied at school:
* 27% were gay or lesbian
* 18% were heterosexual
* 24% were unsure
* 36% were bisexual. 
Of youth bullied electronically:
* 20% were gay or lesbian
* 14% were heterosexual
* 21% were unsure
* 30% were bisexual.
Research Brief: Bisexual Youth Experience: Research Brief: Bisexual Youth Experience

Slide 17: Employment problems
BAR GRAPH: showing employment problems bisexual people experienced because of their sexuality:
* 5% were fired 
* 7% were denied a work opportunity
* 13% were not promoted
* 13% were not hired
* 20% were given an unfair review
* 31% were sexually harassed
* 58% were exposed to biphobic jokes
Invisible Majority: The Disparities Facing Bisexual People and How to Remedy Them: Invisible Majority: The Disparities Facing Bisexual People and How to Remedy Them

Slide 18: Poverty Rates
BAR GRAPH showing the percentage of americans aged 18-44 who live below the federal poverty level, by sexual orientation: 
* 29.4% of bisexual women
* 25.9% of bisexual men
* 22.7% of lesbians
* 21.1% of heterosexual women
* 20.5% of gay men
* 15.3% of heterosexual men
New Patterns of Poverty in the  Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community: New Patterns of Poverty in the  Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community

Slide 19: Lack Health Insurance:
* 22.5% of bisexuals
* 16.0% of lesbians/gay men
* 16.5% of heterosexuals
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Slide 20: Feel part of a community?
UK bisexuals: 
* Feel part of the LGBT community:
o 66% said Òa littleÓ or Ònot at allÓ
* Feel part of the straight community:
o 69% said Òa littleÓ or Ònot at allÓ
The Bisexuality Report: Bisexual inclusion in LGBT equality and diversity: The Bisexuality Report: Bisexual inclusion in LGBT equality and diversity

Slide 21: Can access ÒLGBTÓ resources?
* US LGBs who have ever attended a Pride event:
o 33% of bisexuals
o 72% of gay men
o 61% of lesbians
* Bisexual youth are less aware of GSAs (Gender-Sexuality Alliances) in their schools and LGBT community centers in their localities
* Invisible Majority: The Disparities Facing Bisexual People and How to Remedy Them: Invisible Majority: The Disparities Facing Bisexual People and How to Remedy Them

Slide 22: Being out?
* 25% of bisexuals have never told anyone they are bi, compared to 4% of gay men and lesbians
* 59% of bisexuals are not out to any co-workers, compared to 24% of gay men and lesbians
* Youth out to schoolmates:
* 54% of bisexual youth
* 72% of lesbian/gay youth

Slide 23: Question #1: Do I come out?
In the US, many people do not come out to their physicians:
* 39% of bisexual men
* 33% of bisexual women
* 13% of lesbian women
* 10% of gay men
Invisible Majority: The Disparities Facing Bisexual People and How to Remedy Them: Invisible Majority: The Disparities Facing Bisexual People and How to Remedy Them

Slide 24: Q #2: Who do I come out as?
* In the UK, to access servicesÉ
* 66% of bisexuals said they need to pass as straight, and
* 42% said they needed to pass as gay or lesbian.
* Bisexual peopleÕs experiences of and ideas for improving services: Bisexual peopleÕs experiences of and ideas for improving services

Slide 25: Encountering biphobia
* (UK stats) While accessing services, 48% of respondents stated they had experienced biphobic comments and 38% had experienced unwanted sexual comments about them being bisexual. Biphobic threats had been experienced by 7%. Physical assault and sexual assault while accessing a service had each affected 3% of respondents.
* Bisexual peopleÕs experiences of and ideas for improving services: Bisexual peopleÕs experiences of and ideas for improving services

Slide 26: Master status / stereotyping
* Over a quarter of therapists seen by bisexual clients in the U.S. erroneously assumed that sexual identity was relevant to the goal of therapy when the client didnÕt agree, and around a sixth saw bisexuality as being part of an illness. 7% attempted conversion to heterosexuality and 4% to being lesbian or gay.
* The Bisexuality Report: Bisexual inclusion in LGBT equality and diversity: The Bisexuality Report: Bisexual inclusion in LGBT equality and diversity

Slide 27: Fear of trying again
* ÒAs happens with other marginalized groups, lower confidence levels in accessing services, combined with isolation from communities, can become a downward spiral of deteriorating mental health and wellbeing.Ó

Slide 28: ÒEvenÓ LGBTQ services have barriers
* ÒI have been referred to as a weird hybrid, told that I can decide whether IÕm gay or straight. Told how lucky I am to be. Told that if I donÕt want abuse I need to pick one and it will keep happening till I do (Ôcos being bisexual means I deserve abuse, right?). This was just from one service, at the time the only service in my area.Ó

Slide 29: Make bisexuality visible (1 of 2)
* Make ÒbisexualÓ an available option on your intake forms
* When you do ÒLGBTÓ presentations, include a bisexual person and/or bisexual case studies
* Display bi-specific materials in your waiting rooms and offices

Slide 30: Make bisexuality visible (2 of 2)
* Observe Bi Visibility Day (every September 23rd) and Bisexual Awareness Week (week around 9/23)
* When appropriate, use openly bisexual people and quotes in your social media

Slide 31: Make bisexuality audible
* If you ask about sexual orientation, make sure you include ÒbisexualÓ (instead of just LGBT)
* In public presentations, always include ÒbiphobiaÓ along with ÒhomophobiaÓ and ÒtransphobiaÓ
* Ask about bisexual issues in public discussions just to raise awareness

Slide 32: Make bisexuality safe
* Immediately address bisexual ÒjokesÓ and any biased statements by staff or clients
* If there is a local bi group in your area, ask them to come train or hold a roundtable discussion

Slide 33: Do NOT
* Use Ògay and transgenderÓ Ð instead, spell out Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
* Use Ògay or straightÓ when discussing couples Ð instead, use Òdifferent-sexÓ and Òsame-sexÓ to make space for bisexuals
* Over-apologize if you fail to accurately label someone; apologize once and try to do better

Slide 34: BisexualÉ
* Is the largest segment in ÒLGBTÓ
* Is a sexual orientation identity more and more people are adopting
* May go by many names, especially to accommodate trans and non-binary identities
* Is frequently ÒinvisibleÓ

Slide 35: Opposite of Òbest of both worldsÓ
The reality:
* Less visibility
* More bias Ð from both LGBT and straight communities
* More discrimination
* Higher rates of violence
* Higher health disparities

Slide 36: Assumptions and myths are rampant
* Question your own assumptions
* Question othersÕ assumptions
* Do not joke 

Slide 37: You can help  (1 of 2)
* Keep bisexuality in your awareness
o Do not assume people are lesbian/gay or heterosexual based on their partner; they may be bisexual. You wonÕt know unless you ask.
* Make bisexuality safe
o Challenge myths and assumptions
o Do not allow jokes

Slide 38: You can help  (2 of 2)
* Help make bisexuality as visible as possible:
* Use the words instead of the acronym whenever possible
* Include ÒbiphobiaÓ when talking about phobias
* Include bisexual case studies in trainings
* Include bisexual people and topics in social media
* Bring up bisexuality in public discussions

Slide 39: Questions

Slide 40: Thank you!
* Loree Cook-Daniels
o LoreeCD@forge-forward.org
* michael munson
o mmunson@forge-forward.org