Myths and Barriers

Hello, blog readers! This is the final academic article that I’ll be posting on this site – from my resources, at least. I will continue to reblog anything that you share with me. As always, your input in encouraged and appreciated!

This piece again highlights that little attention is paid to same-sex intimate partner violence. This article is somewhat different in its focus in that it provides information on the roots of same-sex IPV advocacy and also outlines some of the barriers to help-seeking that survivors of same-sex IPV face.

A couple very harmful myths associate with same-sex violence are articulated:

1-    Lesbian Utopia: relationships between women are examples of ideal egalitarian partnerships, meaning that the notion of violent lesbian relationships doesn’t exist because women provide a “safe lifestyle.”

2-    Hegemonic Masculinity: two men fighting with one another is often just interpreted as practicing masculinity, gay men are perceived as “sensitive” so there is a misconception that they are not violent

3-    Mutual Battering: both partners perpetrate violent behaviors, reality is that one partner is consistently the aggressor

Barriers to help-seeking:

1-    Outing: abusers utilize their partner’s fear of being “outed” as a tool or a weapon in their relationships

2-    Homophobia: “The presence of homophobic attitudes permits social tolerance and apathy toward survivors of same-sex IPV, while also giving abusers an additional tool to use to their advantage” (804). 3-    Internalized Oppression: same-sex partners often have feelings of internalize homophobia and internalized heterosexism; they may feel depression, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues

4-    Community Ties: the relationship provides the most obvious connection to the GLB community; breaking up becomes a threat to the community as a whole

5-    Revictimization: service providers aren’t adequately sensitive to the GLB community and their needs

Citation:Duke, Alysondra and Meghan Davidson. (2009). Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Affirmative Outreach and Advocacy. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 18 (8), 795-816.