Comparing Abuse Profiles, Contexts, and Outcomes of Help-Seeking Victims of Domestic Violence: Part III—LGBT Clients

Abstract

The present study represents the third part of an exploration into the demographic characteristics, context, and outcomes of abuse and outcomes of service engagement for users of specialist Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) services in the United Kingdom (UK; parts I and II respectively). It delivers on a commitment made in those parts to provide an examination of LGBT clients (including in comparison to the cisgender, heterosexual, or “cishet” clients examined in parts I & II, hereby known as “non-LGBT”). The current study utilized a large-scale quantitative data set of 35,882 clients presenting to specialist DVA services within the UK between 2007 and 2017, including 34,815 non-LGBT and 1,067 LGBT clients. Several areas of similarity between the two subsamples were identified, including some of the types of abuse reported, referral routes, and outcomes upon exit from services. Significant differences was also found. For example, the LGBT subsample was found to be significantly more likely to present to services with substance use and mental health issues (including self-harm) and was also more likely to have their case progressed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The findings are discussed along with recommendations for future research and practice, centered around the provision of gender and sexuality-inclusive provision, which acknowledges differential risks of LGBT clients, and how these reflect their experiences as a “minority” population (i.e., so-called “minority stress”).