Letting Out the Secret:

Abstract

Over the past 2 decades, a variety of studies on domestic violence has confirmed that abuse is widespread. This increased attention to violence in intimate relationships has been focused on heterosexual couples, despite the assertion that 4-10% of the population is homosexual. Violence among lesbian couples has largely been ignored by family violence researchers, but clinical practitioners who are sought out by the battered and/or the batterers for therapy are well aware of the extent and nature of the battering that takes place in these relationships, and that battering is not limited to heterosexual relationships. This exploratory study takes a step toward an understanding of lesbian violence by examining the incidence, forms, and correlates of violence in lesbian relationships. Based upon the responses of 284 lesbians to a questionnaire, it was found that lesbian violence is not a rare phenomenon. This finding reflects the need for further research into this social problem in all intimate relationships, including homosexual relationships.

Intimate Partner Abuse among African American Lesbians: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Theory, and Resilience

“…These findings, in addition to the findings of prevalence rates among the general lesbian population, suggest that IPA prevalence among African American lesbians may fall between 25 % and 40 % (Powell 2008;Robinson 2002), with higher prevalence rates reflecting the inclusion of verbal abuse (Balsam 2001;Lockhart et al 1994). A likely explanation for a higher prevalence of IPA among African American lesbians is that this population suffers a disproportionately higher prevalence of risk factors associated with IPA (e.g., poverty, childhood victimization, mental health symptoms, substance abuse, and experiences of oppression or discrimination ;Coleman 2003;Hardesty et al 2008;Powell 2008).…”

“…Prevalence findings for IPA within the mainstream lesbian community range from 13 % to 75 % for physical violence (Balsam 2001;Liesring et al 2003;Lockhart et al 1994;McLaughlin and Rozee 2001;Miller et al 2001;Stevens et al 2010) and up to 90 % when verbal abuse is included (Balsam 2001(Balsam , 2003Lockhart et al 1994). Though some researchers have acknowledged the NVAWS findings, they have noted that the 11.4 % rate may have been the result of underreporting, since lesbians are more likely to report victimization by males (McLaughlin and Rozee 2001).…”

“…Although there is a dearth of data available on prevalence rates for African American lesbians in particular, it can be surmised from the existing literature that: (a) IPA is a very real problem within the general lesbian community (Coleman 2003;Descamps et al 2000;Kaschak 2001;Lockhart et al 1994;Robohm et al 2003;Stevens et al 2010;Tigert 2001), and (b) African American women are at heightened risk of IPA victimization (Powell 2008;West 2002;Williams et al 2008a, b). Thus, it is likely that African American lesbians represent a high risk population that has gone underresearched and consequently underserved.…”

“…Based on the literature on IPA risk factors among mainstream lesbian and heterosexual African Americans, it is likely that the most critical risk factors associated with IPA among African American lesbians would include: (a) poverty or low economic status (Balsam et al 2010;Lockhart et al 1994;McKenry et al 2006;Powell 2008;Williams et al 2008a, b), which includes insufficient access to educational and employment opportunities; (b) childhood victimization (Balsam 2001(Balsam , 2003Coleman 2003;McKenry et al 2006;Powell 2008;Williams et al 2008a, b), which includes physical, sexual, and vicarious abuse such as witnessing community or family violence, or neglect; (c) mental health symptoms (Balsam 2001(Balsam , 2003Coleman 2003;Liesring et al 2003;Lockhart et al 1994;McKenry et al 2006;Miller et al 2001;Poorman and Seelau 2001), which includes disordered or overly enmeshed attachment, disordered personality organization, PTSD, anxiety, and depression; and (d) substance abuse (Coleman 2003;Goldenson et al 2009;Lockhart et al 1994;McKenry et al 2006;Powell 2008;Stevens et al 2010;Williams et al 2008a, b), which may include alcohol or drugs. Other factors that would exacerbate IPA among African American lesbians might include desires for power and control, which could be a reaction to experiences of powerlessness in daily life resulting from the intersecting impacts of institutionalized or internalized sexism, racism, and heterosexism (Balsam 2001(Balsam , 2003Hardesty et al 2008;McKenry et al 2006;Tigert 2001).…”

“…Since then, IPA has been explored within heterosexual minority populations, such as among African Americans (Powell 2008;West 2002;Williams et al 2008a;b), and then more recently among mainstream (primarily Caucasian) lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations (Coleman 2003;Descamps et al 2000;Kaschak 2001;Lockhart et al 1994;McKenry et al 2006;McLaughlin and Rozee 2001;Miller et al 2001;Poorman and Seelau 2001;Ristock 2002;Robohm et al 2003;Stevens et al 2010;Tigert 2001). However, there have been almost no research studies conducted on IPA among African American lesbians.…”