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This article addresses victimization of bisexual women. Victimization is any damage or harm inflicted by one individual onto another. [1] In the United States, bisexual women are more prone to various types of victization, for example, they experience childhood sexual abuse at rates 5.3 times higher than heterosexual women.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's most recent hate crime statistics report (2018), of the 7,036 single-bias incidents reported in 2018, 1,196 (16.7%) were targeted based on their sexual orientation. Among the 1,196 targeted based on sexual orientation, 21 incidents were specifically anti-bisexual. A hate crime intentionally singles out a victim based on real or perceived identities. [2] A hate crime is one form of victimization.
In the United States, an estimated 1.8% of the general population identifies as bisexual, with even higher rates among adolescent cohorts (4.9%). [3] The term bisexual describes various attractions, sexual and relational behaviors directed towards individuals of more than one gender. [4] Individuals who identify as bisexual may also use other additional terms to describe their sexual orientation such as, pansexual or queer. [4] Bisexual individuals experience more significant adverse mental health outcomes than straight, lesbian, and gay individuals. [5] These outcomes include anxiety, depression, a higher number of recent adverse life experiences, more adversity in childhood, less familial support, less general social support, and more significant financial stress. [6]
Out of all sub-groups within the LGBTQ+ community, bisexual women make up the largest demographic of sexual minority individuals in the United States (5.5%). [4] The increased rates of adverse outcomes seen among bisexual individuals broadly is seen more acutely among bisexual women. In particular, 58.7% of bisexual-identified women report mood, and 57.8% report anxiety disorders. [5] Health discrepancies between bisexual and heterosexual individuals are due in part to minority stress. Minority stress is the chronic daily stress burden that sexual minority individuals experience due to heterosexism. [7] All sexual minority individuals are at increased risk for victimization; however, bisexual individuals are at an even higher risk due to bisexual-specific stressors such as anti-bisexual attitudes within the broader Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community. [5] Within-group anti-bisexual attitudes contribute to more significant identity confusion and decreased connection to the broader LGBTQ+ community. [8] Bisexuality is associated with stigmatizing stereotypes, including increased promiscuity, untrustworthiness (Rust, 1995), and the belief that bisexuality is an illegitimate or unstable identity. [5] These stereotypes maintain negative attitudes towards bisexual individuals within the LGBTQ+ community and broader society, ultimately increasing bisexual individuals' likelihood of being victimized. [9] Decreased connection to the LGBTQ+ community mainly contributes to the adverse mental health outcomes in this population due to the protective effect that community connection is known to have against minority stress for sexual minority individuals. [6]
Several types of victimization are higher among bisexual individuals than gay and lesbian individuals. [9] These include threats, physical assault, and physical assault involving a weapon. [9] Bisexual individuals also experience higher sexual violence rates, including rape and childhood sexual abuse. [5] Bisexual women, in particular, experience childhood sexual abuse at rates 5.3 times higher than heterosexual women. [5] Further, the age of onset for childhood sexual abuse is younger among bisexual women compared to bisexual men. [4] Bisexual women also experience higher rates of rape (46.1%) and sexual violence (74.9%) compared to both lesbian and heterosexual-identified women. [5] In addition to experiencing a higher frequency of sexual violence, bisexual women are also more likely to report more extreme sexual violence forms than lesbian-identified women. [4] Similarly, bisexual women experience higher victimization rates within interpersonal relationships, termed interpersonal trauma (IPT), compared to straight and lesbian women. [10] Sexual victimization, in particular, is linked to subsequent adverse mental health (i.e., the development of PTSD symptomatology, increased suicidality) and negative sexual health outcomes. [4] Higher rates of victimization in conjunction with the cumulative load of minority stress (i.e., daily experiences of discrimination) contributes to higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among bisexual individuals. [10]
Transphobia consists of negative attitudes, feelings, or actions towards transgender people or transness in general. Transphobia can include fear, aversion, hatred, violence or anger towards people who do not conform to social gender roles. Transphobia is a type of prejudice and discrimination, similar to racism, sexism, or ableism, and it is closely associated with homophobia. Transgender people of color can experience many different forms of discrimination simultaneously.
Biphobia is aversion toward bisexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being bisexual. Similarly to homophobia, it refers to hatred and prejudice specifically against those identified or perceived as being in the bisexual community. It can take the form of denial that bisexuality is a genuine sexual orientation, or of negative stereotypes about people who are bisexual. Other forms of biphobia include bisexual erasure.
The field of psychology has extensively studied homosexuality as a human sexual orientation. The American Psychiatric Association listed homosexuality in the DSM-I in 1952, but that classification came under scrutiny in research funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. That research and subsequent studies consistently failed to produce any empirical or scientific basis for regarding homosexuality as anything other than a natural and normal sexual orientation that is a healthy and positive expression of human sexuality. As a result of this scientific research, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the DSM-II in 1973. Upon a thorough review of the scientific data, the American Psychological Association followed in 1975 and also called on all mental health professionals to take the lead in "removing the stigma of mental illness that has long been associated" with homosexuality. In 1993, the National Association of Social Workers adopted the same position as the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association, in recognition of scientific evidence. The World Health Organization, which listed homosexuality in the ICD-9 in 1977, removed homosexuality from the ICD-10 which was endorsed by the 43rd World Health Assembly on 17 May 1990.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) personnel are able to serve in the armed forces of some countries around the world: the vast majority of industrialized, Western countries including some South American countries such as Argentina and Chile in addition to South Africa, and Israel. The rights concerning intersex people are more vague.
The questioning of one's sexual orientation, sexual identity, gender, or all three is a process of exploration by people who may be unsure, still exploring, or concerned about applying a social label to themselves for various reasons. The letter "Q" is sometimes added to the end of the acronym LGBT ; the "Q" can refer to either queer or questioning.
As defined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, military sexual trauma (MST) are experiences of sexual assault, or repeated threatening sexual harassment that occurred while a person was in the United States Armed Forces.
Various issues in medicine relate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. According to the US Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA), besides HIV/AIDS, issues related to LGBT health include breast and cervical cancer, hepatitis, mental health, substance use disorders, alcohol use, tobacco use, depression, access to care for transgender persons, issues surrounding marriage and family recognition, conversion therapy, refusal clause legislation, and laws that are intended to "immunize health care professionals from liability for discriminating against persons of whom they disapprove."
Research has found that attempted suicide rates and suicidal ideation among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth are significantly higher than among the general population.
Sexual bullying is a form of bullying or harassment in connection with a person's sex, body, sexual orientation or with sexual activity. It can be physical, verbal or emotional in nature, and occurs in various settings, including schools, workplaces, and online platforms. Sexual bullying can have serious and lasting effects on the mental and emotional well-being of victims.
Minority stress describes high levels of stress faced by members of stigmatized minority groups. It may be caused by a number of factors, including poor social support and low socioeconomic status; well understood causes of minority stress are interpersonal prejudice and discrimination. Indeed, numerous scientific studies have shown that when minority individuals experience a high degree of prejudice, this can cause stress responses that accrue over time, eventually leading to poor mental and physical health. Minority stress theory summarizes these scientific studies to explain how difficult social situations lead to chronic stress and poor health among minority individuals.
Research shows that a disproportionate number of homeless youth in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, or LGBT. Researchers suggest that this is primarily a result of hostility or abuse from the young people's families leading to eviction or running away. In addition, LGBT youth are often at greater risk for certain dangers while homeless, including being the victims of crime, risky sexual behavior, substance use disorders, and mental health concerns.
Domestic violence within lesbian relationships is the pattern of violent and coercive behavior in a female same-sex relationship wherein a lesbian or other non-heterosexual woman seeks to control the thoughts, beliefs, or conduct of her female intimate partner. In the case of multiple forms of domestic partner abuse, it is also referred to as lesbian battering.
Anthony Raymond D'Augelli is Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Outreach, as well as Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, at Pennsylvania State University. He is best known for his LGB identity development theory, as well as his research on LGB youth, rural LGB populations, and the impact of anti-gay victimization on LGB mental health.
Domestic violence in same-sex relationships or intragender violence is a pattern of violence or abuse that occurs within same-sex relationships. Domestic violence is an issue that affects people of any sexuality, but there are issues that affect victims of same-sex domestic violence specifically. These issues include homophobia, internalized homophobia, HIV and AIDS stigma, STD risk and other health issues, lack of legal support, and the violence they face being considered less serious than heterosexual domestic violence. Moreover, the issue of domestic violence in same-sex relationships has not been studied as comprehensively as domestic violence in heterosexual relationships. However, there are legal changes being made to help victims of domestic violence in same-sex relationships, as well as organizations that cater specifically to victims of domestic violence in same-sex relationships.
LGBT psychology is a field of psychology of surrounding the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals, in the particular the diverse range of psychological perspectives and experiences of these individuals. It covers different aspects such as identity development including the coming out process, parenting and family practices and support for LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as issues of prejudice and discrimination involving the LGBT community.
Due to the increased vulnerability that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth face compared to their non-LGBT peers, there are notable differences in the mental and physical health risks tied to the social interactions of LGBT youth compared to the social interactions of heterosexual youth. Youth of the LGBT community experience greater encounters with not only health risks, but also violence and bullying, due to their sexual orientation, self-identification, and lack of support from institutions in society.
Sexual assault of LGBT people, also known as sexual and gender minorities (SGM), is a form of violence that occurs within the LGBT community. While sexual assault and other forms of interpersonal violence can occur in all forms of relationships, it is found that sexual minorities experience it at rates that are equal to or higher than their heterosexual counterparts. There is a lack of research on this specific problem for the LGBT population as a whole, but there does exist a substantial amount of research on college LGBT students who have experienced sexual assault and sexual harassment.
"Suicidal ideation" or suicidal thoughts are the precursors of suicide, which is the leading cause of death among youth. Ideation or suicidal thoughts are categorized as: considering, seriously considering, planning, or attempting suicide and youth is typically categorized as individuals below the age of 25. Various research studies show an increased likelihood of suicide ideation in youth in the LGBT community.
LGBT trauma is the distress an individual experiences due to being a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer person or from possessing another minoritized sexual or gender identity. This distress can be harmful to the individual and predispose them to trauma- and stressor-related disorders.
People who are LGBT are significantly more likely than those who are not to experience depression, PTSD, and generalized anxiety disorder.
