Posted on Oct 23, 2012

The Journal of Interpersonal Violence recently published a new study that sheds light on the rates of domestic abuse and violence among those in same-sex relationships. The study, which was conducted by the Williams Institute, found that homosexual men face higher incidences of intimate partner violence than heterosexual men, and that bisexual women face higher incidences of intimate partner violence than either heterosexual women or homosexual women.

 

Researchers at the Williams Institute, which is a gay and lesbian think tank associated with UCLA, say that gay men have an “elevated risk” of domestic violence – and that 97 percent of domestic violence incidents that involved gay men also involved a same-sex partner. In 95 percent of cases of domestic violence affecting bisexual women, a male intimate partner was the perpetrator. Lesbians and women who have had sex with women in the past year did not have a significantly higher rate of domestic abuse incidents. At the same time, men who have sex with men (but do not identify as gay) and bisexual men did not have a significantly higher rate of domestic abuse incidents.

 

Previous studies have found that the rates of domestic abuse for homosexual couples and heterosexual couples are about the same.

 

Those who created the study say that they hope the new data will raise awareness of same-sex domestic violence. In many cases, the public and abuse victims do not know or understand that domestic violence and abuse can affect both men and women, both gay and straight.

 

The study corrected for other variables that affect the rates of domestic violence, including substance abuse issues and mental health issues.

Molly B. Kenny
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Divorce and Child Custody Attorney Serving Bellevue and Seattle Washington