26 — OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS - JUNE 1998 fissrzciates in Recovery Jone? K. Brown, M.A., C.A.D.C. LICENSED 5>z;~rcHoLoc;:sr — MASTER CEQTIFIED ALCOHOL./RN21 Dreue cO'c.\;sELQz2 Flevel with abandonment to a truly great massage rarely found anywhere. And be your best again. Prince Jhorev (802) 785-2244 V Healing Bodywork Swedish - Reflexology 0 Polarity - Reiki Master Feng Shui Harmony Learn to arrange your home and office to create harmony and prosperity in your life. Carol Brown, M.A., LCMHC lren Smolarski 658-8401 MA Psych.; Ph.D. lit. for LGBT now forming Individual & Couples Fee based on 802-660-3109 Toward Intimacy Group . ellbeing 8Il.E|\ll:|E brings VIOLENCE BY RIC KASINI KADOUR in Burlington this past April. The Burlington Police appre- hended the suspect. The assault occurred near the corner of Bank and Pine Streets, behing the Burl- ington Square Mall on 23 April‘ around 12:30 in the morning. The area, a popular cruising ground for gay and bisexual men, is often referred to as ”the Loop.” The police described the attacker as a white man in his early 30's wearing a jean jacket, blue jeans and a white t-shirt. The suspect had long blonde hair, a beard and mustache. The police allege the at- tacker approached the victim and asked him for oral sex. A witness observed the initial contact. Later, the witness saw the victim lying on the ground. To- gether the two men reported the incident to the police. The attacker broke the victims ankle and bruised the left side of his face. On 1 May, Officer Paul Blin of the Burlington Police Depart- ment went down to the area with a composite sketch and subsequently questioned the suspect who had returned to the area. Eric Hoyt was arrested and charged with Hate Related Aggravated Assault. Hoyt was jailed, but released on bail. ported an 8% increase in anti- gay violence since 1995. This figure includes a 36% increase in serial incidents of anti-gay violence. Serial incidents are defined as continuous violence and harassment by one of- fender against a single victim over a period of time. The NCAVP also reported a 67% increase in bomb threats or bombings and a 33% increase in extortion and blackmail. The NCAVP is a coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and HIV positive (LGBTH) victim assistance, advocacy and documentation programs located throughout the nation, mostly in urban ar- eas. Their report "does not pur- port to document the actual, or even approximate, number of anti—LGBTH incidents that oc- cur in the United States" due to the vast under—reporting of such incidents. Anti—LGBTH incidents ”are under—reported due to the fact that most areas around the country do not have local vic- tim assistance or documenta- tion programs.” No such pro- grams currently exist in Ver- mont. In addition to the April incident in Burlington, some people in Vermont's GLBT community are aware of other anti-gay incidents. People are often unwilling to report such incidents because of an unwill- lence and victim assistance programs contributes to the community's silence about such events. Climate oflfiolence Violence against GLBT people occurs for a variety of reasons. As GLBT communi- ties become more visible and more vocal about their rights, violence is often part of the backlash. In Vermont, GLBT rights as once again risen to the forefront in both media and political circles. As the commu- nity progresses toward a Su- preme Court decision on Same-sex marriage, anti-gay groups are becoming more ac— ' tive. This past February, Take It to the People (TIP) published an anti-gay flyer in Vermont’ s largest newspapers. The flyer objectified GLBT people and portrayed the community as a threat to civilization in Ver- mont. Such rhetoric contrib- utes to a climate where GLBT people are seen as ‘other’ and ’dangerous’——-characteriza- tions which lead to violence. Some anti-GLBT violence is committed by GLBT people. Same-sex domestic assault is often understood and docu- mented as either a hate crime or anti-gay violence. Addition- ally, ‘closeted’ GLBT people can also perpetuate violence by acting out on their own self- Jean Townsend, M.A., L.C.M.H.C. I Gal! Bashing 0" LOOP. Pa" ‘if afl'1l'9"‘1‘997 t th :§§l“::Sa°f‘;;:‘:f1’;:)‘vj‘fl‘f;eiif 1. CENSEID C‘.-'.!N!C/-\L MENlAL He/\Lf‘I-' - n err repor , 9 _ ' T \.43l‘on \/'e'rr~.or~.’r :‘lJlill‘l""O‘\ Verrnont Ponce catch Attacker Nafionalcoalition °fAnfi'Vi°' dent. imn be handled by a.u- i :33‘-_;) 3.-,»3_,;,_;-jg “' 3.53-516; _ A gay man was assaulted lence Programs (NCAVP) re— th°"t1e5- The lack Of ant1'V1°' ? Psychotherapy Individual Means Continued at right The Mostly Unbabuloua Social Lite of; Ethan Green by Eric orner The George You. 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