Thank You

This will be my final official post for this blog. I plan to continue my work with the GLBT community - with a heightened awareness about same-sex intimate partner violence - and I will keep this blog updated as I encounter new information.

Additionally, if you continue to access resources and information that is not available here please let me know. I will gladly update the blog with your contributions on a regular basis.

Jess

PowerPoint Presentation

Hello bloggers,

I have had a great time compiling all of these resources for you. I hope that you are able to find some use from them. I know that I have been enlightened by all of this information. It is clear that same-sex intimate partner violence is a very prevalent issues within the GLB community. However, there is a surprising lack of research as well as a lack of resources for those affected by same-sex intimate partner violence.

I have created a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes all of this information and will be giving it in a course I am taking. If you would like access to this presentation, please contact me and I can provide it for you.

Quick Facts

The following statistics are reported by the Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence

11% of lesbians reported violence by their female partner
15% of gay men reported being victimized by their partner

36% of victims who sought services in NYC also filed a police report (2003)
38% of victims who sought services in NYC also filed a police report (2004)

88% of victims reported prior violence (2003)
91% of victims reported prior violence (2004)

39.2% of same-sex women reported being raped, 21.7% of opposite-sex women reported being raped
15.4% of same-sex men reported being raped, 10.8% of opposite-sex men reported being raped

Survivor Resources

Below you will find a list of some resources if you (or someone you know) is a victim of same-sex intimate partner violence. You can click the links to find more information.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project

Lambda

Stop Abuse for Everyone

Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness

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.

What Can Clinicians Do?

Welcome back! Here is a piece written by medical practitioners about the ways in which clinicians can take steps to assess intimate partner violence in regard to their GLBT patients. The ways in which they outline clinicians can better address IPV in their GLBT patients is:

1-    have an open discussion about gender identity and sexual orientation

2-    when addressing IPV in GLBT patients, clinicians can serve as an educational resource

3-    providers need to take care to prepare themselves to be informed and address health risks associated with IPV within the GLBT community

4-    clinicians should arm themselves with knowledge of the resources available for GLBT individuals so that they can provide meaningful referrals

5-    make sure that clinical resources and guidelines about IPV include information about IPV within the GLBT community

Citation: Ard MD, Kevin L. and Harvey J. Makadon, MD. (2011). Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Patients. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 26(8), 930-933.

Is the Lack of Attention to Same-Sex IPV Justified?

The author points out that same-sex intimate partner violence is ignored by researchers as well as policy makers. To assess whether or not this omission is justified, the author analyzed the data from the National Violence Against Women Survey.

The piece examined four types of partner violence: verbal abuse, controlling behavior, physical abuse and sexual abuse. The author used sex and sexual orientation as independent variables to establish comparison rates.

This piece found that – independent of sex – individuals who had a history of same-sex relationships were more likely to experience verbal abuse, controlling behavior, and physical & sexual abuse. Specifically, same-sex individuals experienced all four types of abuse twice as much as opposite-sex couples. Being a member of the GLB population increases a person’s risk for intimate partner violence victimization.

What does this tell us? Based on these survey results, it would seem that individuals in same-sex intimate relationships are at even greater risk, need more resources to deal with same-sex violence, and should be the subjects of research and policy making. 

Citation: Messinger, Adam M. (2011). Invisible Victims: Same-Sex IPV in the National Violence Against Women Survey. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 2228-2243.

Crisis Center Workers' Perceptions of Same-Sex IPV

This piece highlights same-sex intimate partner violence from a perspective we haven’t addressed yet; that of the service providers and how they perceive same-sex violence. The study included 120 crisis center staff members who were asked to respond to a domestic violence vignette.

In order to assess their perceptions of same-sex intimate partner violence and how those perceptions compared to those of opposite-sex intimate partner violence situations, the researchers altered the sex of the individuals in the vignette to offer varying scenarios.

It was found that crisis center staff reported that they felt same-sex intimate partner violence scenarios were less serious than opposite-sex violence. Additionally, they reported that same-sex violence situations were less likely to get worse.

What does this tell us about perceptions of violence? Why is this useful to know? How can we better educate crisis center staff on dealing with same-sex intimate partner violence? 

Citation: Brown, Michael J. and Jennifer Groscup. (2009). Perceptions of Same-Sex Domestic Violence Among Crisis Center Staff. Journal of Family Violence, 24, 87-93.

A Feminist Approach to Understanding Same-Sex IPV

Hello again! This piece was sent to me from a reader of the blog – thanks for your contribution! Highlighting the importance of an international approach, the reader wanted to share this piece from the UK.

The paper discusses a survey instrument that was created and implemented that aimed to assess domestic violence in same-sex relationships. The authors of this piece wanted to be able to assess domestic violence in same-sex partnerships but also be able to compare behavior across opposite-sex and same-sex couples. The questionnaire included many different sections that addressed different aspects of violence.

This survey was unique in that it utilized a feminist approach. The purpose of this was so that the instrument would be sensitive to the power and gender dynamics of domestic violence. In this study, more than 1/3 of respondents (38.4%) reported having experienced domestic violence.

Important to note from the findings of this project is that people in same-sex relationships consider and experience combinations of violence (physical, sexual, and emotional) as having the greatest impact.

Citation: Hester, Marianne, Catherine Donovan, and Eldin Fahmy. (2010). Feminist epistemology and the politics of method: surveying same sex domestic violence. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 13 (3), 251-263.

Same-Sex IPV in the Philippines

I wanted to share this piece with you because it helps us to understand that same-sex intimate partner violence is not a local phenomenon. While must of the research I’ve included in this forum is from the United States, same-sex intimate partner violence takes place everywhere. I have offered some resources from the UK, and this piece comes from the Philippines. It is important to be cognizant that this blog can be accessed from everywhere so it makes sense to include a variety of resources from a variety of locations.

The piece was based on the interviews of four couples (2 gay male couples and 2 lesbian couples) and sought to gain an understanding of when violence occurred. While the sample is small, it still provides some information that is worth noting.

Based on the interview data, physical violence took place after the perpetrator of violence (this piece referred to him/her as the “initiator of violence”) claimed to be innocent or placed blame and guilt onto the victim.

Citation: Ofreneo, Mira Alexis P., and Cristina Jayme Montiel. (2010). Positioning theory as a discursive approach to understanding same-sex intimate violence. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 13, 247-259.

More Books

This book discusses intimate partner violence in gay male relationships as it is the third largest health problem for gay men. It is called Men Who Beat The Men Who Love Them, written by John Dececco (PhD), Patrick Letellier, and David Island

The following book provides the first in-depth account of lesbian violence. It is called No More Secrets:  Violence in Lesbian Relationships, by Janice Ristock. 

This book is a professional guide to understanding Gay and Lesbian domestic violence. It was edited by Joan C. McClennen (PhD) and John Joseph Gunther.

Reader Submitted Resources

Hi again - here are a few different links that readers have sent in. Others have found these useful at some point in time and I hope you will as well!

For snapshots of many different aspects of domestic violence:
http://www.datehookup.com/content-abuse-in-same-sex-relationships.htm 

This page offers similarities and differences for same-sex vs. opposite-sex partner violence. It also provides information on how same-sex violence is unique:
http://www.aardvarc.org/dv/gay.shtml

This website offers facts about same-sex domestic violence:
http://www.maitri.org/dvlesbgay.html

The following website offers a research report about same-sex violence and also offers suggestions as to what research should focus on in the future:
http://www.crimeandjustice.org/councilinfo.cfm?pID=60 

Red Flags

The Rainbow Domestic Violence page provides a lot of different information for people who want information on same-sex domestic violence.

Important to point out are the warning signs or "red flags"of abuse:
1- Jealousy
2- Controlling Behavior
3- Quick Involvement
4- Unrealistic Expectations
5- Isolation
6- Blaming Others for Problems
7- Blaming Others for Feelings
8- Hypersensitivity
9- Cruelty to Animals or Children
10- "Playful" Use of Force in Sex
11- Verbal Abuse
12- Rigid Sex Roles
13- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
14- Past Battering
15- Threats of Violence
16- Breaking or Hitting Things
17- Any Use of Force During an Argument

There is much more information available at: http://www.rainbowdomesticviolence.itgo.com/

Another Book-

Hello bloggers! Here is another book that could be a great resource for those of you wanting to learn more: Violence in Gay and Lesbian Domestic Partnerships, by Claire M. Renzetti and Charles Harvey Miley. It provides a comprehensive analysis of same-sex domestic violence: includes theoretical and treatment issues for victims and perpetrators.

Another Closet

One of our readers shared this photo: how poignant is this? What kind of thoughts and feelings does this evoke for you?

Lesbian Domestic Violence

We came across this piece of information regarding same-sex intimate partner violence with the lesbian community in a search for lifestyle pieces. This article was in a resource that lesbians use for information so it likely reached the population it could help the most.

The piece opens with an illustration of what it is like to be in a violent situation; it was quite moving for me and could be useful for others to help understand what it’s like. It’s is not until you finish reading the story that the author informs you it is a true account; the names have been changed.

The article also points out that same-sex intimate partner violence is largely unreported; a common reason being that there aren’t enough services for them. Additionally, there are only around 25 agencies that are specifically devoted to LGBT domestic violence.

An additional problem that individuals experiencing same-sex intimate partner violence deal with is that the wrong person is commonly arrested. This is due to common misconceptions that only the “butch” could be the abuser.

The article points out that they are trying to help people understand that same-sex intimate partner violence is a problem; they need the same protections and access to care as opposite-sex partners have.

Citation: Huwig, Pam. (2001). A Look at Lesbian Domestic Violence. Lesbian News, 26.

Are Same-Sex Victims More At Risk?

A reader submitted this great article and I wanted to share it with the rest of you. The piece focused on police officer’s general knowledge, experience and training with same-sex domestic violence in Illinois.

The piece found that police officers encounter same-sex violence regularly, but that they are generally unprepared to handle it, which makes it much more difficult for officers to deal with.  A lack of training in same-sex violence is the primary reason for this.

General Findings:

1: 82 officers (90% of the sample) had responded to a same-sex domestic violence call at least once during their career.

2: 74 officers (81.3%) reported that their departments had no procedure in place that directly addressed same-sex domestic violence.

3: 26 officers (29.5%) reported training in same-sex domestic violence; 61 officers (70.5%) reported that no classes or lectures were provided.

4: 82.6% of officers felt their department was doing an adequate job handling same-sex domestic violence and 17.4% said they weren’t doing enough to help the population.

Citation: Tesch, Brian, Debra Bekerian, Peter English, and Even Harrington. (2010). Same-sex domestic violence: why victims are more at risk. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 12, 526-535.

Survey on Same-Sex IPV

This piece provides a great analysis of same-sex violence in one area of the country. The survey was conducted systematically via a questionnaire that was distributed to people who had experienced or knew someone who experienced same-sex partner abuse.

The survey results were categorized under 4 main areas:

1: attitudes and beliefs about same-sex partner abuse

2: prevalence of behavior in intimate same-sex relationships

3: experiences in the most recent same-sex intimate relationship

4: open-ended comments

As evidenced by the wide range of information, this was a pretty comprehensive examination of the population. Some of the findings are included below; a full report can be accessed via the internet.

Findings

Attitudes and Beliefs about Same-Sex IPV

1: 80% agreed that same-sex intimate partner violence goes unreported due to fear of “outing”

2: 70% agreed that same-sex intimate partner violence is a problem in the GLBT community

3: 67% disagreed that police are sensitive to partner abuse

4: 64% felt domestic violence agencies primarily serve straight women

The most prevalent abusive behaviors were as follows

Yelling (80%), derogatory names (60%), threatening eye contact (59%), throwing things (45%), pushing (41%)

Citation: Survey on Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence Abuse in Santa Clara County

Prepared by Dr. Donald L. Coan – Survey Research Consulting

Victim Resource

Wow! We found this great informational packet for victims of same-sex intimate partner violence. The informational packet was created at The Aurora Center at the University of Minnesota and is marketed as a resource for survivors of same-sex intimate partner violence.

The packet gives a nice background of what same-sex violence is and some facts related to its occurrence. The following are statistics that the packet provides as well:

1. Prevalence of same-sex violence is 25-33%.
2. Each year, 50,000 to 100,000 lesbians and up to 500,000 gay men are battered.
3. Same-sex violence victims receive fewer protections.
4. Many violence shelters deny their services to victims of same-sex violence.
5. "Outing" is a significant threat abusers use against their victims.

The packet also offers some information on violence that is anti-gay and lesbian as well as includes a power and control wheel. Find the complete packet here:

Same-Sex Violence Info Packet

Cycle of Violence

Here is another useful image that helps people to understand intimate partner violence. Remember, in earlier posts we highlighted the Power and Control Wheel. The image below is an example of the Cycle of Violence - it showcases how violence is cyclical in nature. There is a period of tension building, then the abuse happens, and finally there is a honeymoon period. When the couple moves through all of these stages they start over.

Here is more information about each stage:

1 - Tension Building: often this stage is characterized by anger and arguing
2 - Acute Battering: the incident of battering takes place
3 - Honeymoon Stage: forgiveness is sought and the batterer makes promises to change
Repeat.

Same-Sex Violence Video

This video clip highlights some of the myths associated with same-sex intimate partner violence. It also points to some statistics about abuse within same-sex relationships. Finally, the video includes some information about where same-sex couples are legally protected in regard to violence and how the law is often interpreted to only apply to opposite sex couples.

Same-Sex Violence

Victim Experience

A reader sent in this video: it portrays the experiences that two women have had with same-sex intimate partner violence. They point out how the stereotypes of women - that they aren't supposed to be aggressive, they are nice and passive, etc - contribute to the lack of information and exposure to same-sex intimate partner violence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA2yti9pc7o  

Myths and Facts

The following Myths and Facts about Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence were adapted from Georgetown University's Health Education Services. The complete list and discussion can be found at:

Myths and Facts  

Myth #1: The abuse that takes place in GLBT relationships is mutual.

       Fact: Abuse that is "mutual" is rare in GLBT relationships. 

Myth #2: GLBT intimate partner violence is sexual behavior, like S&M. 

       Fact: Intimate partner violence is not sexual behavior. It is not liked.

Myth #3: Victims exaggerate the abuse; they would leave if it was bad.

       Fact: Most victims actually minimize abuse.

Myth #4: Women are not violent and do not batter their partners.

       Fact: Lesbians are just as capable of violence as anyone else.

Myth #5: Men find it easier to leave abusive situations than women do.

       Fact: It is equally difficult for men and women to leave.

Love Shouldn't Hurt

A friend of mine shared this image with me - It is powerful. This not only applies to same-sex intimate partner violence but can refer to any type of loving relationship that involves abuse and violence.

Definitions

Hi everyone,

I thought it might be useful to include some definitions of common terms that are used in same-sex intimate partner violence. This way, we are coming from a common understanding of the terms used in this forum.

Intimate Partner Violence: violence between people who are not necessarily married but are involved in serious relationships

Same-Sex Relationship: individuals of the same sex who are involved romantically

Lesbian: a female homosexual

Gay: a male homosexual

Lesbian Bettering: refers to the pattern of violent and coercive behaviors that a lesbian uses in order to control the thoughts, beliefs, or conduct of her intimate partner. It can also be used to punish the intimate partner.

Gay Domestic Violence: is characterized as any unwanted physical force, psychological abuse, or material or property damage. This violence is inflicted on one gay man by another.

The latter definitions can be found in more detail in the 6th Edition of Family Violence: Legal, Medical, and Social Perspectives by Harvey Wallace and Cliff Roberson.

Strategies for Overcoming Violence

Here is a book that I found that may be useful to you or someone you know.

Same-Sex Domestic Violence: Strategies for Change is put out by SAGE publishers. The book covers the kinds of issues that victims face when trying to overcome violence. It also includes information for those individuals who are trying to assist victims in overcoming the violence they've experienced.

Characteristics of Violence

I came across this great academic article concerning same-sex intimate partner violence! One of the most useful things that this article points out - in my opinion - is how the experience of same-sex intimate partner violence is unique in some ways.

The article points out that while the types of abuse that take place in same-sex relationships are similar to opposite-sex relationships (psychological, physical, sexual, isolation, battering), same-sex intimate partner violence is different in two specific ways.

1. Perpetrators often use the threat of "outing" their partner as a form of violence. Being "outed" can have many detrimental effects for individuals and is useful in controlling their behavior.
2. Victims may experience much higher levels of isolation than opposite-sex partners. This is because same-sex partners may be isolated if they are still "in the closet," they often lack the same legal protections as opposite-sex partners, and their place in the legal system is less defined.

Additionally, this article points out that abusers exhibit the same types of characteristics regardless of the type of relationship they're in. It is also useful to note that same-sex partners are more likely to defend themselves than opposite-sex partners.

The full citation of this article:
Rohrbaugh, Joanna Bunker. 2006. "Domestic Violence in Same-Gender Relationships." Family Court Review: 44 (287-299). 

Broken Rainbow

Broken Rainbow is a resource for the GLBT community in regard to intimate partner violence. Broken Rainbow was originally launched on a university campus and has expanded since its creation in 2007. In addition to having a resource center, the organization offers a hotline number that individuals can call as well as their website.

While the center is based in the UK, they offer information and resources to anyone needing assistance. One of their primary concerns is intimate partner violence among the GLBT community, but they also offer resources for homophobic, biphobic and transphobic violence as well. They work with the larger community to reduce the prevalence of all forms of violence.

Broken Rainbow can be found at the following address:

http://www.tvgpa.org.uk/page12.htm

Same-Sex IPV Video

The following video points out the pervasiveness of intimate partner violence within same-sex relationships. The piece uses anecdotal evidence from victims to send the message that same-sex partners can be abusive. In fact, domestic violence occurs in 25-33% of same-sex couples according to this video. Other statistics are presented throughout the video. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h02RRnkcL0

 

"It Happens to Us, Too"

I think that the message from this image is clear. The GLBT community wants people to understand that intimate partner violence is not a heterosexual phenomenon. Violence exists in same-sex relationships and, for those whom this violence affects, help is available.

Police Training Video Used in the UK

Hello again,

I came across this video in my research on same-sex intimate partner violence: the video is brief, but its purpose is to highlight same-sex intimate partner violence. In the UK, this video is used to educate police officers that intimate partner violence can take many forms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpS26wXbU8

Same-Sex Power and Control Wheel

The first thing I wanted to share with all of you is the Power and Control Wheel. The Power and Control Wheel is often used to represent to victims of violence the many different ways in which violence can occur.

The wheel has been adapted to fit many different types of relationships - attached below is an example of the Same-Sex Power and Control Wheel that has been adapted to address same-sex relationships specifically.

This wheel can be used in helping to identify abuse and explain abuse to people involved in the situation.

Welcome!

Hello all, Welcome to the online forum that we will utilize to share information and resources about same-sex intimate partner violence! The primary purpose of this blog is to highlight an aspect of intimate partner violence that receives little attention but is a significant issue for the GLBT community. On this blog you will find information regarding same-sex intimate partner violence statistics, resources for seeking help, victim as well as perpetrator information, photos and videos that relate to same-sex intimate partner violence, academic articles that have systematically studied same-sex intimate partner violence, and news articles. My hope is that you will find this useful in some way, even if it is just in educating yourself on an issue that receives little attention. If you have resources or information you would like to share, please let me know and I can get it posted to the blog. (Note: this blog forum is being created for a class project and is not actually part of a public outreach program. However, if you do stumble upon it and find it helpful I am glad.)