Which factor increases the risk of sexual violence for LGBTQ+ individuals?

• A. Isolation
• B. Fear of being out if not disclosed sexual orientation or identity to friends or family members.
• C. More likely to experience sexual violence as a result of a hate crime
• D. Challenges from medical professionals

Answer: (C)

Bias-motivated violence against LGBTQ+ people directly targets someone for who they are, and perpetrators often use sexual violence as a tool to demean, intimidate, and exert control. This makes being involved in a hate crime a specific scenario where the risk of sexual violence is heightened compared to other factors. While isolation, fear of coming out, or negative experiences with medical professionals can contribute to vulnerability or barriers to seeking help, they do not reflect the same direct link between identity-targeted hatred and the likelihood of sexual violence that hate-crime bias does. So, the factor that best explains an increased risk in this context is experiencing sexual violence as part of a hate crime.