Barack Obama: LGBT sexual assault victims can feel more isolated

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Barack Obama has spoken about sexual assault within the LGBT community.

The President made the comments in a press conference announcing the launch of the ‘It’s On Us’ campaign, which will raise awareness of sexual assault through a series of PSA adverts.

He said: “We know that sexual assault can happen to anyone, no matter their race, their economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity – and LGBT victims can feel even more isolated, feel even more alone.

“While these assaults overwhelmingly happen to women, we know that men are assaulted, too. Men get raped. They’re even less likely to talk about it.

“For anybody whose once-normal, everyday life was suddenly shattered by an act of sexual violence, the trauma, the terror can shadow you long after one horrible attack.

“It’s there when you’re forced to sit in the same class or stay in the same dorm with the person who raped you; when people are more suspicious of what you were wearing or what you were drinking, as if it’s your fault, not the fault of the person who assaulted you.

“It’s a haunting presence when the very people entrusted with your welfare fail to protect you.”

Last week, Joan Rivers’ daughter revealed she received a handwritten note of condolence from President Obama – just weeks after the comedian labelled his wife a “tranny”.

When asked whether the US would see a gay president, Rivers had said: “We already have it with Obama, so let’s just calm down.

“You know Michelle is a tranny. A transgender, we all know.”

(h/t Towleroad)

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