To what extent does social integration affect the use of friends/informal sources of support versus the use of formal sources of support by young LGBT

The prevalence of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is 'pervasive and
devastating' (Calton et al, 2016:585). For LGB and/or T people the
prevalence of DVA is similar, if not higher, than their heterosexual
counterparts (Rollè et al, 2018), particularly among young people (Barter et
al., 2000). Whilst there is an increasing focus on the experiences and
needs of LGBT people who experience DVA, there is a gap in knowledge
about the help-seeking of young LGBT people even though being in a firstsame
sex relationship has been identified as increasing the likelihood of
experiencing DVA. The existing evidence points to LGBT people favouring
friends/informal sources of support over formal sources however it is not
known what responses they receive. This study is the first of its kind to
explore the use of friends/informal sources of support versus the use of
formal sources of support for young LGBT people who have experienced
DVA and whether social integration can explain their help-seeking
decision. This is important to better develop knowledge that can be used
to improve the support young LGBT people experiencing DVA can access.
A mixed methods approach will use a survey using social media of young
LGBT people and semi-structured interviews of young LGBT people who
have experienced DVA to gain an in-depth understanding of these issues.
The findings will contribute to knowledge about young LGBT people's
experiences of help-seeking for DVA, its links or not to social integration
and provide recommendations for policy and practice.