Events Healing Domestic Vilolence

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Healing Domestic Violence - March 17, 2010 / 7:30 p.m.

— Expert LaDawn Best reports on abuse in LGBT relationships

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays

Although they don’t have all the rights of marriage, LGBT relationships have all the stresses—and then some. In addition to the usual problems with money, in-laws, and children, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender couples have many other issues to deal with. One partner may be in the closet at work or to members of his/her family. The couple may be ostracized by school, church, or professional organizations. Finances may be strained because of the inability of one partner to share the other’s health insurance or social security. Difficulties with adoption or surrogacy may make having children particularly stressful. With all these additional issues, it is not surprising that abuse can occur in some LGBT relationships.

LaDawn Best knows all about the pain domestic violence can cause in the LGBT community, intensified by the fact that mainstream domestic violence resources often discriminate against or are clueless about LGBT abuse survivors. She is the Client Advocate of the Domestic Violence Legal Advocacy Project (DVLAP) at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, a program that offers comprehensive legal services to LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence. Since January 2007, LaDawn has provided extensive case management for DVLAP legal clients including, restraining order preparation, case development and court accompaniment. She is also responsible for training domestic violence providers on LGBTQ sensitivity and same-gender domestic violence legal issues, and has provided trainings to advocates statewide.

She will be talking to PFLAG Los Angeles about how to recognize domestic violence in same-gender relationships, where to go for counseling and help, and what legal steps can be taken when relationships have irretrievably broken down and serious injury may or has occurred.

She has worked extensively with young people. Before coming to the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, LaDawn was the Girls Leadership Coordinator for the young women of color reproductive justice program at REACH LA, a non-profit organization located in downtown Los Angeles. She has also served as a member of the community advisory board for Q-TEAM, a queer and trans youth of color multi-issue organizing collective and for the Los Angeles HIV youth coalition. She is the newly appointed co-chair of the Multicultural and Underserved Communities Committee of the Los Angeles City Domestic Violence Task Force. She is also a fellow of the California’s Women’s Policy Institute.

The time to prevent domestic violence is before it occurs. Come and hear LaDawn’s recommendations for effective action.