The group was founded by community member Michael Cox with help from Fred Hashagen, LGBT administrative assistant, and Glenn Grossman, chairman of the Carolina Alternative Meetings of Professional and Graduate Students. The group's formation came in response to the murders of two gay men in Durham as well as other recent displays of anti-gay sentiments.
The Family Anti-Violence Union is a community group and not an official student group, but members are considering the option of becoming a recognized student organization in the future.
The new group held a meeting on campus Tuesday night, although only five people other than the founders were present at the meeting.
But organizers said they were not concerned by the turnout.
"I don't think that the small number of people here tonight is an indication of the interest level on this subject," said Mark Zumbach, a representative from Triangle Communication Works.
At the meeting, the group discussed ways to reach out to the LGBT community and how to target the different populations within that community.
"Part of the reason that people are interested in this issue is that they feel something is missing, and there's an immediate need for more coordination and communication," Zumbach said.
The group also outlined the goals it wants to accomplish and issues it wishes to confront, such as the documentation of hate crimes.
"There is not a lot of information or statistics about hate crimes committed against the LGBT community," Zumbach said.
