Support and Resources in the Aftermath of Orlando Massacre

"The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence joins the nation in mourning the victims of the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub on Latinx night in Orlando, Florida. As organizations committed to ending violence and hatred, we condemn this heinous act and stand in solidarity with the LGBT and Latinx communities, as well as communities of color as a whole. This was a hate crime motivated by homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and racism, made easier by access to weapons of mass murder. We stand firm in our call that these phobias and prejudices – and those to which they are connected, including islamophobia, xenophobia, and sexism – have no place in our society.     We grieve for the loss of so many lives in Orlando. And we join with those working to increase safety, dignity, and equality for LGBT communities and for us all."

-National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence

        MCASA joins with the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence in our outrage, grief, and support for the LGBTQ community in Maryland, Florida, and beyond. Vigils are being held in Maryland in remembrance of the victims of this tragedy. MCASA is aware of two opportunities for communities to join together for healing. Fredrick – Tuesday, June 14 from 8:00pm – 10:00 PM, Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ, 15 W Church St, Frederick, Maryland 21701 Greenbelt – Tuesday. June 14 from 7:00-10:00 PM, Old Greenbelt Theater, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt MD 20770 Mass tragedy can affect us in suprising or unexpected ways. The American Psychological Association (APA) has created a resource guide for managing distress in the aftermath of a mass shooting, which is available in both English andSpanish. Media coverage of violence can also sometimes be triggering or challenging for survivors of sexual violence, particularly when a perpetrator's history of violence includes intimate partner violence. Confidential, free support for survivors of sexual violence is available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To find your local sexual assault hotline number, please click here. Survivors of all genders and sexual orientations are welcomed and supported at Maryland's 17Rape Crisis and Recovery Centers.

There are also dedicated support systems available for the LGBTQ community. These include:

LGBTQ-Serving Organizations in Maryland: 

Equality Maryland https://freestatelegal.org/ (410) 625-LGBT (5428)

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) https://www.pflag.org/about 301-439-3524

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland http://www.glccb.org/ 3rd Floor, Waxter Building 1000 Cathedral St. Baltimore, MD 21201 410-777-8145

The LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase Brexton Health Care http://www.chasebrexton.org/our-services/lgbt-health-resource-center 1111 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21201 443-573-5070

National Hotlines: 

GLBT National Hotline 1-888-843-4564

GLBT National Youth Talkline - Serving youth through 25 years old 1-800-246-PRIDE (7743)

The Trevor Project - LGBTQ Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386 TrevorChat: Available online 3:00-9:00 PM, 7 days a week

Trans Lifeline - A lifeline created by the transgender community for the transgender community 1-877-565-8860

As we continue to celebrate LGBTQ Pride and Awareness Month, we at MCASA remain dedicated to providing quality, compassionate care to all survivors of sexual violence. To support this mission, we provide training for rape crisis centers, advocates, law enforcement, and schools regarding the challenges faced by LGBTQ survivors and best practices in providing an inclusive response to violence. For more information, please contact [email protected].