As E.R. Parsons writes in Trauma and its Wake, “Ethnicity is central to how the patient or client seeks assistance (help-seeking behavior).  What he or she defines as a ‘problem’ what her or she understands as the causes of psychological difficulties, and the unique, subjective experience of traumatic stress symptoms.”

Although crimes can be identified and defined in terms of the law, cultural experience can lead people to have differing views and definitions of what crime is. 

If someone has been victimized by a member of his/her own cultural group, there may be a hesitancy to report crimes or talk about them outside of the cultural community, as this could be viewed as “airing dirty laundry.” Each culture has its taboos, and certain types of crime can bring shame upon victims. Many women are terrible ashamed if they are sexually assaulted or battered by their partners. In some instances, women may not be assured of family or community support.

Communities of Color

Groups that, due to societal discrimination, have had the need to assert their own cultural identity, political voice, and civil rights will be even more reluctant to open their communities to external examination. This might be a factor in the choice made by some African-American women, who, finding themselves in a violent relationship, refrain from reporting their abusive partners, given the negative experiences of many African-American men in their interactions with the criminal justice system.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Community

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people face the same risk for sexual violence as the general population. Homophobia in our culture puts GLBT people at greater risk for sexual assault by strangers. It is common for perpetrators to use sexual violence as a way to punish and humiliate someone for being GLBT. A common example of this is when individuals who think they can “change” a woman’s sexual orientation specifically target lesbians and bisexual women for sexual assault.

Common Fears of GLBT survivors:
  • Fear of being forced to “come out” if they approach their family, the courts, or the police to report their sexual assault.
  • Feel that they are betraying their GLBT community, which is already under attack by "accusing" another GLBT person of sexual assault
  • Feel that they have nowhere to turn for help and fear hostile responses from the police, courts, service providers, and therapists, because of homophobia and anti-GLBT bias.
  • Gay men who are victims of sexual violence constitute another group whose members are not always viewed as victims.