Such victims often are overwhelmed by the isolation after the attack, feeling they have no recourse to the criminal justice or social service systems. Fearing further victimization, because of their sexual orientation they often fail to report the assault and retreat and contend with their emotional havoc alone. Gay victims often show no evident anger during intake, sometimes feeling that the victimization is merely an extension of the victimization already perpetrated by a homophobic society. The counselor's task therefore is to isolate the violent act as the object to which to direct anger. Initially, victims may direct their anger to experiences outside the actual incidence of violence. Once such anger has been vented, the counselor should turn the victim's attention to the violent incident. By informing the victim of criminal justice system options and the actions taken by other victims, the counselor can help the victim shed some of the isolation and establish a power base from which to act. Finally, the counselor should emphasize that the assault, not sexual orientation, is the issue in the violent victimization.