Persad plans to address lesbian domestic violence by Jane Muder ‘Dusk is descending on the small business and burned out storeftonts in Garfield, and the Persad Centar on Penn Avene {s providing roopte from the biting cold—and other unpleasant. hnetowthis winter evening. "an elderly woman clutching cane sits in the waiting r00m, shining and tapping her foot as @ younger woman cattying & fant bag signs in and rashes through the wailing room doors ‘ihe arene small but cory. and pamphlets about abuse, domeatie lence, counseling resources and other topes line the pocketed Plexiglas shelves on the wall ‘Hersed, a. gry, lesbian, bisemual and transgender focused counealing center in Pitsburg’ East Bnd, provides «safe ha ‘en rte of mee domes abun and lane, The Center offers a variety of srvies; depending upon the situation, ietime might cook out crits intervention, individual or couples Counseling or even legal advice * oa Continued on page 13, Domestic violence— Continued trom page ‘A number of Peread’s clionts are lobians who are seeking reassurance as they navigate the story Water of phiysiealy, emotionally or financaly abu sve relationships ‘Targeting community awareness and prevents: tivo edutation ae Hs pals, Porsad is aiming over the next few years to launch an ambitious program for batt of the GLBT community: Uhe End Lew Domostic Abuse project. "This project, referred. rhblitation amevarxvilenes. Its lowly being shaped by work- tre and volunteers into a community-wide outreach program that helps to edueata the public and get Eire for vetime: ‘Debbie Seaina, an ELDA health educator, esye that trying to real the eyleof abuse for vit i 8 msjor goal. Greater publicly for Ube domestic vic ence couneoling servis that are offered in the Pittsburg area i another. ‘Over the net two year, Seajna want to expand the programs to Westmoreland, Washington, Greane, ‘Armstrong sid Indiana sountie. She believes that as fawaronsee of tho iseue grows in the Pittsburgh re ion, more women wil eek ut nrvies. “this EEDA project is aaa o education in ‘the region,” Srajna says ‘On a typieal day, Szaina goes to the Allogheny County Courthouse to recruit both vicims and por pottaigcs for Porend-Rinded counseling seeions. Par the later the counseling ae rehabilitation Is an at tractive alternative t jal me For the former, if ean be a Kfline to resources, options and soluticns. ‘Visibility is's problem because abuso and vio- Jencs emong lesbian couples are 2 often ovetlodkod and services targeted appropriately to the lesbian Community's needs are wer than they are for hel ‘rowenta abuse iti: ‘Sometimes women's shelters will unknowingly lot the sburive partnr info soe tho vielim,bazed on the assumption that women are not eapablo of being Perpetrators. Seana works hard to educate crisis lini, shear drsctors und pereannel about recog SBsing! and treating abuse” outside of "helare rormative conetrcte "The Binekburn Contor in Greensburg bomats staff that has boon spocially tripod to deal with fe Sues unique to samevsex domestic abuso cares. Ann Emerling, the canter’ executive director, einpha slaee that tauch of that reedueation process was fo- ‘aed on the nation that the abuser a not elwaye fn a patearshy that’ ‘omen through vileneo,” ver, fn lesbian elatonahips, the power end con {rol dynamis looks very much the sara” Buty Hill executive director of Porzad, is eon. cerned By tho paueity of discussion about GLUT-when both abuser, victim are women health sues and lationship dynamics, in both {Sdueational‘fforis and. among the gonoral public ‘This might be ono renoon, sho notes that caves of same-sex dooeati viene are not wel now, at Carrick, an experienced. Jomeeie violence counselor and a current University of Pitsburgh Aoctnral siden neu, ‘Carrick says common social gender expecta: tions strongly dictate that women are incapabe af islenoe, aid that these public perceptions are == ‘ed.over to the mediesl community. “Fubere is intervention, Cari note, the reae- tiong ate sometimes strange even dines *Someone might sy, Oh, well theyre just hav tne ait “It aot ging a fand hem a Be pts" Carrick suggeata, relerrng 2" 8 nol. Uncommon resetion among thoes who don't bellave InvNew dersey, she wae astonished that capes were ‘beng views from the standard “male a8 bate terer™ framework, cal lope aperaty woul ak regarding her batlerer], “What's hie nme?” The forms were antiquates, too—thoy said, Spouse's nemo." ‘She eephaclae 2 neod for ¢ diferent mental framework among counselors and clinicians, and the ‘careful use of gender-neutral language in domstie wiolenceenses “Damostc abuso against womon eppears equally fn hetero and homcersual relationship Por zor and raight women ali, abuse occurs ia roughly. 25 peratnt of relationshipe, according vo Lambda, nen- vot gay and josie eure centr bein azo, ‘Taxus. Larmbda’s surprising. stalistice ar Ineked by a munsber of reasarch studios dating es far back se 1086, ‘Underrportng of cts Is so a problem, Many wets of domestic violence fel ashamed of thie tilustions Laurie Kessler = prycholony in- tam at the University of Pittsburgh’ counesing ener, notes that the tendency foward salt ame Is ‘Sorin among al Vis of domoste volanc. 1's Styipplom of anger turned inward, she believes TP dont think I've ever worked will a vet of domestie violence | who Reeser toy. ‘Kesslor providas counsaling servies to all Pitt studante and isa sound rerource for GLET students Seeking counseling for crotfonal, relationship and ‘emily lace She sage viata of abuse ore ele tant to gat bp immedialely because of shame and, omtimes, a fear of homophobia in the public heath nem “Phares ml shave i tho ey a lean community." Seging agree, rforring to her exper nce with BLDA “People don't report the abuse, they've atta of losing family and coca euppors” Ite ocome increasingly necessary to eieate ‘doesn't Blame hers" A friend in need ‘Beth Soxengae, Blue Moon owner Liz ang Shawn cil at February fundvaser athe Blve Moon {oss former Ouf news edior Ute Pasquin Sur- ing her fgh again! cancer. Contbulone cars Be mole 0 204 airs Ox, SOU, PA ‘ental hesith professionals and the general publ about same-sex abuse, emphasizing tssues unique to Iemale-onforale case, whilo not downplaying the Importance of eharocteriucs common tall suse. vii selatons “Howsroaemuas havea template for how to have screaliondhip," Carrick notes. By conttat, eho said, lesbiane are sometimes unsivare of the oppressivencss of the abusive sta: Won" because they haven't soon many examples of Ssumevtex reltionthipe, good or bad ‘Tat wae tho cao with Claire, a Pitsburch-aron feo an domeatic ase gurivor mo ated jut not tose her real name. Sho went throug a Iona poo desding whether o ot fo eave abusive longtarm partner and today says she Thad no tole models fora good lesbian eltionehip, Tor long time, thought 1 couldnt survive without ber ahe anya, "He took ma a clk year of rorary ee fnaly eave Te ation, it's necessary fo addres in counsel Ing shat Carrick alls "maltiple levels of deat Ueithe sum of attributes, thoughts and expen noes thet shape the personhood of the vein suck ing bal. ‘Otten, the vitim is “closeted,” and seeking help can be perlousio her professin, to her roaton hip with her family ato her tos to the cay com unity ’h siti who's not out eany to expo. Reves ing her seal orientation i sometimes s fest tap in feting the vieim fled oF ext of Tor hor defolt Support irl Tntrforing with someone's right to make a li Ing isan eepocielly powerful mean of scan co {Go}, anda common one: But outing at work nn the nly way ues oontel het vit, Tn Claire's relationship, her abusive partner os sarlad horsalf at tho breaiwinasr, demanding that Gnie quit her fob to suit hor trovel ebedles Thi resulted in Clave staying at toni entry-level obs and seriously hampered her earalng power. Tite jbsl were always low wage, prtlime or seanonal*" saya Chae, Matrauing bow. aonomie bends ne mre dial fo ase he rl tonship Furthocmoro, because gay couploe are Jes likely obo legally joined, dividing property or savingy ator couple splits can be tremendous lool ordeal. The Ser ay aiompt to control the vidi futher by Using bullying to teanage ie couple seat. iain See, oy lore" ten in Regont Square, tiscused the proses of sping Up saute after an abusive relationhip. "The patice can diise the property on th wn, se notes, but a [abusive allusions), the 8m alle ha they ay not be apraaching ti was already skewed.” = ‘That's when legal modition becomes necessary. ‘Through teeench and. counseling, experiense esslar found that if a woman's tis to the lesb itong. she might hee presse 19 op of her abuaive relationship from her poor. [Ressler notes that “he (asnndowaye feminist) rotion thas only mon a9 sepahlo of eporossing vreen”eften referred ta the "myth of ho lbs Stgpla'—eoafits with veality, bot taal the views of Tosblans on domoeds abuae leu have bcos auch less blackeorsrsie over the years "The youngee gem ration, Kesar says, eapocally open Lo the malian fa rolationship oe a relatonship, and not solely of Statement about acu! orienta or dent “This atu charge, coupled with community wide ents to tase awatonoes ike Persed's 2LDA Brojoct, provides great promise to vit and survie ‘vor, ho ean share tole storie with others, OUT + MARGH 2007+ PAGE.13.