Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV), an antiviolence and hate-crime response group affiliated with The DC Center for the LGBT Community, in collaboration with Helping Individual People Survive (HIPS), announced on Thursday the launch of hotline aimed at providing support to LGBTQ victims of violence.
The new LGBTQ Violence Response Hotline, operating at all times, is intended to help a variety of victims by linking them with trained volunteers from the two organizations. Those volunteers will provide appropriate information during a crisis, such as referrals to culturally competent organizations in the D.C. area that deal with victims' services. The hotline is intended to serve victims of domestic or intimate partner violence, bias- or hate-motivated violence, immigrant violence, sexual assault or hook-up/pick-up violence, as well as cases of possible police misconduct.
Until now, there has not been a local 24-hour crisis support and referral service specifically for LGBTQ victims of violence, according to a press release from GLOV. The new hotline may also provide another tool for GLOV and HIPS, among a handful of groups speaking on behalf of victims, to combat violence against LGBTQ people in the District.
''GLOV is proud to partner with HIPS to provide this important service to the LGBTQ community,'' Paul Tupper, the newly elected chair of GLOV, said in a statement. ''The resources and assistance available through the hotline will go a long way towards helping survivors of violence cope and recover.''
The GLOV and HIPS LGBTQ Violence Response Hotline can be accessed at any time by calling 202-888-7222.
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