Acknowledging Domestic Violence In Gay And Gay Relationship

There are usually not many reports made about same-sex violence because many were ashamed or thought their situation would not get heard. These individuals feel like their problems would be determined less serious over heterosexual abuse situations. “Lesbian and Gays are more reluctant to report abuse to legal authorities because they fear that they are showing a lack of solidarity among the gay and lesbian community. Many individuals may think there is a difference between the risk factor among heterosexual couples and same-sex couples, however there is no major difference. Also, according to Seccombe (2015) “The rate of abuse in gay and lesbian relationships is similar to or even higher than that in heterosexual relationships, around 25 to 30 percent” (p.322). As we look at the lesbian and gay community we see that they just want to fit in, so this is another reason their stories become unknown. There are many reason to think only woman get victimized, men are victimized, as well. To add, the individuals who describe themselves in the female role are victimized, based on the gender norms where woman should be unassertive and house labors instead of being in the workforce. So, therefore, there is not a major difference or any difference between the risk factors between the heterosexuals and the lesbian and gay intimate

We had a guest speaker from Mutual Ground that explained what programs and services Mutual Ground offers people who face Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Teaching us about the various forms of abuse people in a relationship face. Based on the various forms someone seeks power and control in a relationship. Such as using coercion and threats, intimidation, emotional abuse, economic abuse, male privilege, children, isolation and minimizing, denying and blaming their partner to suppress their partner and have power and control. Our guest speaker talked about some of the plans they have to help the LGBTQ community to provide the same services to help victims of sexual violence and domestic violence get the necessary help needed to protect everybody

Walter (1969) gave a comprehensive definition of violence as “destructive harm including not only physical assaults that damage the body, but also techniques of inflicting harm by mental or emotional means” (p. 24). However, in the context of intimate relationships, the definition of violence requires more aspects to be determined. The basic questions to be asked when defining domestic violence proposed by Hegarty, Sheehan, and Schonfeld (1999) in their article A Multidimensional Definition of Partner Abuse are 1) which relationships should be included as domestic? And 2) how should violence in domestic life be defined? To answer these questions, Hegarty et al. said that it is important to choose the appropriate definition that is most relevant to the purpose of the studies. Dutton (2006) defined domestic violence in his book Rethinking Domestic Violence as “any violence occurring between intimate partners (same sex or other sex, married or unmarried) and against children” (p. 3), but further said that he will only focus on intimate

In 2013, nearly 200 reported cases of sexual orientation-based hate crimes were reported in Canada; of those crimes, 66% involved violence (Watson, 2015). Scott Jones, a young homosexual man was the victim of one of these attacks. The brutal attack rendered him paralyzed. Through the support of family and friends, he was able to collaborate with them to create “Don’t be afraid” in an effort to draw awareness to LBGT violence and help promote acceptance (Jones, 2015). He is able to provide insight through his experiences in the healthcare system such as the roles and collaboration used in his care, as well as being inspirational.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), twenty-four people per minute are affected be intimate partner violence. (2013) It is estimated that twelve million people in the United States alone are affected each year. Intimate partner violence includes anything from physical or sexual abuse to psychological abuse to stalking or threats by a current or former partner. This form of violence can occur among couples that identify with any sexual orientation. The CDC reports that individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual are at an equal or higher risk for intimate partner violence. (2013) Sexual intimacy within the relationship is not a requirement for violence to be considered intimate partner violence. (CDC, 2013)

Moreover, victims could experience headaches, abdominal pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath, hypertension, or worsened respiratory illness. They will have bruises on the abdomen, back, head, neck, face, beasts, or genitals. Also, “Injured private parts, breasts, or abdomens are especially common in abused women who are pregnant”. Psychological issues embody depression and anxiety. Also, domestic violence occurs in homosexual relationships, not just in heterosexual relationships. One statistic states that “the prevalence of domestic violence among Gay and Lesbian couples is approximately 33%” (ABA 2). Unfortunately, homosexuals receive fewer protections even though they have

Intimate partner violence (IPV) in same-sex relationships is similar and nearly identical to IPV in heterosexual relationships, however, IPV in the LGBT community has a few unique issues. Victims of IPV in the LGBT community have to face many people in society that are homophobic. Though society has become a lot more open in accepting the LGBT community, victims still face negative attitudes from the community making it difficult for them to report the violence. If victims have not come out and announced their same-sex relationships, it makes it difficult for researchers to learn about the IPV among LGBT relationships. They also may not report the violence because if it is exposed it may reveal that they are part of the LGBT community and they

Intimate partner abuse describes physical, sexual, and psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse (Fanslow, McMahon, Saltzman, & Shelley, 2002). Healthy people 2020 recognizes physical violence among intimate partners as a topic that should be addressed concerning injury and violence prevention in the United States (Healthy People 2020, 2014). Intimate Partner Abuse is an issue that often affects entire families, not just the person that is being abused. Several historical studies attempt to make a connection between intimate partner abuse and homeless. Browne 's research showed that 50 percent of the homeless women interviewed were the victims of abuse

The response to heterosexual domestic violence is addressed differently because often times it is the woman that is being physically, mentally and/or emotionally abused by her intimate partner (Almeida, et al, 2009). Law enforcers, organizations and families often come to the aid of the women simply because they feel the woman is of a weaker sex (Sargent, 2009). Although the cisgender community and the LGBT community experience physical, emotional and mental abuse both situations should be considered as equally

Before taking this course on family violence, I had an idea what was Intimate Partner Violence. I have always believed that Intimate partner violence involves only married couples. I had also thought that violence between a married couple consider the only force of using physical abuse only. Fortunately after reading about partner violence, I have learned that there was more than just one type of abuses. For example, I never thought that sexual abuse could happen between a couple. In addition, I learned that intimate partner violence does not consider only married partners but also partners who have same sex genders, and are unmarried.

Victimization of LGBT community members is elevating as time passes. Researchers attempt to determine the prevalence of the violence committed against members of the LGBT community (Rothman, Exner, & Baughman, 2011). Many people that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender that are victims of hate crimes have participated in studies where they insist that the crimes committed against them are based on their sexuality; not class, color, gender, or any other factor. In a qualitative study, Meyer (2009) conducted open-ended interviews with people who were victims of hate crimes. The participants were recruited at LGBT advocacy organizations. Those who presumed that their hate crime was due to multiple systems of oppression such as class,

Society’s view of the LGBTQ population has changed dramatically over time. Until 1973, the American Psychological Association had considered homosexuality to be a mental disorder (Silvestre, Beatty, & Friedman, 2013). Today, many LGBTQ couples are getting married and raising children. Although these individuals are receiving more legal benefits, they still must struggle with the stigma that society has associated with these gender and sexual identities (Hequembourg & Dearing, 2013). This stigma has contributed to a variety of issues for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer or questioning individuals. Although little research has been done on LGBTQ families and substance abuse, studies have shown that there are high rates of substance abuse for individuals who are of sexual minorities (McCabe, West, Hughes, & Boyd, 2013; Senreich, 2009; Silvestre, Beatty, & Friedman, 2013). In addition to high rates of substance abuse for LGBTQ individuals, many problems exist for those in families with LGBTQ members. Youth may have a

The research question for this article would be how is the justice system equipped to deal with sexual minority girls and their issues of trauma? Trauma happens to be a big risk factor for delinquency and other emotional and physical problems. This article reviews the very little amount of empirical research done to look at the trauma in the interpersonal form of the lesbian and bisexual girls in the juvenile justice system. Lesbians and bisexual girls may have an increased risk of harmful behavior and traumatic experiences due to parental rejection, school bullying, and violence. When a member of LGBTQ youth enter the justice system, there is a lack of programs and services that tend to their treatment needs. Another issue with having LGBTQ

•26% percent of gay men and 37% of bisexual men compared to 29% of heterosexual men experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime

Within families, homophobia can appear in the forms of verbal abuse, physical threats, or physical attack. In a survey of GLBT teens in Rhode Island, 58 per cent of GLBT females reported experiencing these three types of victimization committed by their mothers, 34 per cent by their fathers, 24 per cent by their brothers, and 15 per cent by their sisters. In the same survey, GLBT males accounted 30 per cent victimization by their mothers, 23 per cent by their fathers, 43 per cent by brothers, and 15 per cent by their sisters. The most significant predictors identified as a risk factor of GLBT teen suicide is negative family interactions (Quinn, 2002).