Perceptions of domestic violence in lesbian relationships: stereotypes and gender role expectations

Risk Factors Linked to Violence in Female Same-Sex Couples in Hispanic America: A Scoping Review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among women is an understudied topic in Hispanic Americans; therefore, we aim to describe this phenomenon and its associated risk factors in comparison with other sexual orientations and practices. A scoping review was carried out using the following databases: Scopus, Web of Science, Redalyc, Scielo.org, and Dialnet. The following keywords were used: same-sex, intragender, couple, domestic, and partner violence. The inclusion criteria applied were studies published between 2000 and 2022 with a minimum participation of 15% of Hispanic Americans, resulting in 23 articles. The findings showed a lower presence of studies on violence in women compared to men. Minority stress, power dynamics, social support, and childhood experiences of violence, which are related and complementary to each other, were identified as risk factors. We concluded that there is little research on IPV among women. In addition, studies require a renewed focus to comprehend this type of violence, which cannot be equated with those of heterosexual couples. This approach continues to perpetuate the invisibility of this problem, and, therefore, a more inclusive and specific perspective is needed.

Epidemiological Profile of Intimate Partner Homicides of Sexual and Gender Minority Women in the United States, 2003 to 2017

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) women are among the many victims killed by intimate partner homicide (IPH) each year, though the differences between different SGM groups (and how these groups compare to non-SGM IPH) have not been well established. The objective of this article was to identify practicable, correlated risk factors of IPH of SGM women that may have utility in prevention of future IPH among these populations in the U.S. Homicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System spanning 2003 to 2017 were used to identify a profile of IPH specific to SGM women compared to women who were neither sexual nor gender minorities. Situational and individual characteristics significantly differentiated sexual minority (SM) women from non-SGM women victims of IPH, including substance abuse history (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.80 [2.42, 9.51]), having themselves used a weapon during the incident (AOR = 3.63 [1.44, 9.16]), and the type of weapon(s) used, such as firearms (AOR = 0.61 [0.40, 0.91]), with notably different differentiating characteristics for gender minority (GM) women (vs. non-SGM women) such as the likelihood that the victim was known to have experienced interpersonal violence victimization in the previous month (AOR = 0.50 [0.07, 3.67]). Lesbian and bisexual women homicide victims were far more likely to have been killed via IPH than non-SGM women (AOR for Black SM women = 7.84 [3.65, 16.88], AOR for White SM women = 2.30 [1.03, 5.17]). There was no corresponding difference for GM women victims, whose likelihood of being killed by an intimate partner was similar to that of non-SGM women. Based on these findings, actionable public health recommendations-centered around evidence that neither "all women" nor "all LGBTQ people" are appropriate intimate partner violence prevention umbrellas-are proposed.

College Students' Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence: The Effects of Type of Abuse and Perpetrator Gender

This study explored how perceptions of intimate partner abuse severity and perpetrator responsibility differed based upon gender of the perpetrator/victim, participants' gender, the type of abuse (physical vs. psychological), and the medium of abuse (in person vs. texting). Participants were undergraduates (N = 593, aged 18-27), including 457 women and 136 men from two colleges in the Northeastern United States, who completed surveys for course credit. Results demonstrated that participants perceived abuse perpetrated by a male as more severe than abuse by a female, and physical abuse as more severe than psychological abuse. Furthermore, an interaction between perpetrator gender and abuse type indicated that abuse by males was viewed as more severe regardless of whether it occurred in person or electronically. In addition, participants attributed more responsibility to males and those who committed physical abuse. These findings are discussed in light of limitations and implications for future research.

Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence in Canada: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Types of Incidents Reported to Police Services

During the past 50 years, there has been an increase in research and programming initiatives focusing on the issue of heterosexual intimate partner violence (Het-IPV). In comparison, less attention has been paid to same-sex intimate partner violence (SS-IPV). Furthermore, of the existing research, the majority focuses on SS-IPV incidents in the United States which, due to social and legal differences, cannot yield an accurate picture of SS-IPV in Canada. This descriptive study sought to understand the prevalence, characteristics, and types of SS-IPV and Het-IPV within a Canadian context, with an emphasis on understanding the differences and similarities of incidents reported to police services. It explores the influences of heteronormativity and hegemonic masculinity on SS-IPV reporting and recognition. To assess this, data from Statistics Canada's 2007-2011 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Surveys were utilized. Participation in this survey is mandatory for all police services and, therefore, the sample used contains over 99% of incidents of IPV reported in Canada during the 4-year period (N = 346,565). The results indicate that 4% of incidents of intimate partner violence reported to the UCR involved people engaged in same-sex relationships. It demonstrates that SS-IPV incidents are similar to Het-IPV incidents in reported prevalence, and the findings also show that there are differences in the types of violations reported and several incident characteristics, including levels of victim injury, and the population density of the offense location. These findings can provide a foundation for future research and raise further questions about how SS-IPV is responded to by the criminal justice system after it has been reported to police services.

The Effect of Prescription Drugs and Alcohol Consumption on Intimate Partner Violence Victim Blaming

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a public health problem with harsh consequences for women's well-being. Social attitudes towards victims of IPV have a big impact on the perpetuation of this phenomenon. Moreover, specific problems such as the abuse of alcohol and drugs by IPV victims could have an effect on blame attributions towards them. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the external perception (Study 1) and self-perception (Study 2) of blame were influenced by the victims' use and abuse of alcohol or by the victims' use of psychotropic prescription drugs. Results of the first study (N = 136 participants) showed a significantly higher blame attribution towards female victims with alcohol abuse compared to those without it. No significant differences were found on blame attributed to those with psychotropic prescription drugs abuse and the control group. Results of the second study (N = 195 female victims of interpersonal violence) showed that alcohol consumption is associated with higher self-blame and self-blame cognitions among IPV victims. However, results did not show significant differences on self-blame associated to the victims' use of psychotropic prescription drugs. Our findings indicate that alcohol consumption, but not prescription drugs use, plays a relevant role in the attribution of blame by general population and self-blame by victims of IPV.

When Intimate Partner Violence Meets Same Sex Couples: A Review of Same Sex Intimate Partner Violence

Over the past few decades, the causes of and intervention for intimate partner violence (IPV) have been approached and studied. This paper presents a narrative review on IPV occurring in same sex couples, that is, same sex IPV (SSIPV). Despite the myth that IPV is exclusively an issue in heterosexual relationships, many studies have revealed the existence of IPV among lesbian and gay couples, and its incidence is comparable to (Turell, 2000) or higher than that among heterosexual couples (Messinger, 2011; Kelley et al., 2012). While similarities between heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) IPV were found, unique features and dynamics were present in LGB IPV. Such features are mainly related to identification and treatment of SSIPV in the community and to the need of taking into consideration the role of sexual minority stressors. Our findings show there is a lack of studies that address LGB individuals involved in IPV; this is mostly due to the silence that has historically existed around violence in the LGB community, a silence built on fears and myths that have obstructed a public discussion on the phenomenon. We identified the main themes discussed in the published studies that we have reviewed here. The reviews lead us to the conclusion that it is essential to create a place where this subject can be freely discussed and approached, both by LGB and heterosexual people.

Perceptions of Dating Violence and Associated Correlates: A Study of College Young Adults

The purpose of this study was to better understand young adults' perceptions of what behaviors constitute intimate partner violence (IPV) and the correlates of these perceptions using a comprehensive measure of IPV perceptions and behaviors. Participants were undergraduates (aged 18-25), including 357 women and 346 men ( N = 703) from the midwestern region of the United States, who completed surveys for course credit. Results demonstrated that young women and men on average reported that acts of physical, sexual, and psychological IPV were abusive. However, young women generally rated these behaviors as more abusive than young men, male-to-female (M-to-F) IPV was viewed as more abusive than female-to-male (F-to-M) IPV, and physical IPV was considered the most abusive form of IPV, followed by sexual IPV, which was rated as more abusive than psychological IPV. Furthermore, among men, a history of IPV perpetration and victimization generally predicted decreased perceptions that acts were abusive; however, among women, histories of IPV perpetration and victimization were generally unrelated to abuse perceptions. These data underscore the importance of the inclusion of psychoeducation about the seriousness of all forms of IPV in IPV prevention programming and the importance of situation-specific and targeted IPV prevention messages. Moreover, future research is needed to replicate and better understand the explanatory mechanisms underlying the relationships among a history of IPV, abuse perceptions, and gender.

A Queer Theorist's Critique of Online Domestic Violence Advocacy: Critically Responding to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Web Site

Since the foundations of the contemporary anti-violence movement in the 1960s and 1970s, advocates have sought to establish a critical understanding of domestic violence that we can use to direct our efforts for social change. Yet many advocates and advocacy organizations continue to rely on a problematic narrative of sameness that marginalizes and erases diverse victims' experiences and needs. In this article, I conduct a critical discourse analysis of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Web site to identify outcomes of this narrative for the inclusivity of advocacy efforts. I argue that despite the organization's numerous claims to represent diverse victims' experiences, Web site content reveals that its purportedly general account of domestic violence normalizes the experiences of a small group of victims-namely, heterosexual, cisgender women. Further, the Web site's content greatly limits the potential for thinking about and discussing violence across difference. I conclude with recommendations for changes in advocacy practices.

Victim Gender, Rater Attitudes, and Rater Violence History Influence Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence

Perceptions of intimate partner violence (IPV) have been proposed to play a role in the stigmatization and underreporting of violence by individuals who are victimized by intimate partners, especially in cases that are inconsistent with the male-to-female IPV paradigm. We examined the independent and combined influences of victim and perpetrator sex, attitudes toward gender roles, and history of IPV perpetration on perceptions of IPV among 240 college students. We employed a vignette methodology to manipulate perpetrator and victim sex in a fully crossed design. Results indicate that violence perpetrated against males is perceived as less serious and more justified, and male victims are perceived to be more blameworthy than female victims. Traditional gender role attitudes and histories of IPV perpetration are associated with greater blaming of victims and justification of perpetrators across contexts.

The Impact of Gender Stereotypes on Legal Perceptions of Lesbian Intimate Partner Violence

The present study examined legal perceptions of lesbian intimate partner violence (IPV) in an experimental context. Undergraduate women and men from the Southeastern United States ( N = 217) read a trial summary in which the defendant was charged with physically assaulting her same-sex partner. The trial varied as to whether the victim and defendant were depicted via images as either feminine or masculine. Participants rendered verdicts and made judgments about the victim and defendant (e.g., credibility). Results indicated that the victim's and defendant's masculine or feminine appearance affected these judgments. Female participants viewed a masculine victim as more credible than a feminine victim when the defendant was masculine. When the victim was masculine, they viewed a masculine defendant as more responsible for the victim's injuries than a feminine defendant. Male participants had higher sympathy for a masculine versus feminine victim overall, but had more anger toward a masculine defendant versus a feminine defendant accused of assaulting a feminine victim. Finally, fewer participants mentioned the defendant's history of violence as a reason for a guilty of felony verdict for a feminine victim with a feminine defendant versus all other combinations of victim and defendant masculine/feminine appearance. Results are discussed in terms of gender stereotypes influencing legal decision-making in IPV cases among lesbian couples.

Developing an App for College Women in Abusive Same-Sex Relationships and Their Friends

Young women experiencing dating violence in same-sex relationships face significant barriers to help for safety planning. Therefore, our team developed a tailored smartphone safety decision aid app for dating violence survivors and their peers. College women survivors of same-sex dating violence, peers, and college staff reviewed the app, identifying users' barriers to information, resources, and services and key strategies for dissemination, inclusiveness, and safety for the app. Findings support the use of the app to assist college women experiencing same-sex dating violence and peers to connect with resources and develop tailored safety plans to reduce violence and increase their safety.

Reexamining issues of conceptualization and willing consent: the hidden role of coercion in experiences of sexual acquiescence

This study problematizes the literature's conceptualization of sexual compliance, predominantly defined as willing participation in, and consent to, unwanted sexual activity in the absence of immediate partner pressure. Using a feminist theoretical framework, we argue that covert forms of social coercion, including normalized expectations for heterosexual women to participate in sexual activity and maintain relationship satisfaction, ultimately pressure women into participating in unwanted sexual activity. In other words, immediate partner pressure is not necessary for a sexually coercive experience to occur. Results of the current study indicate that relationship control and media influence significantly predict sexual acquiescence, and women acquiesce to unwanted sexual activity in an effort to maintain relationships and partner satisfaction as well as to avoid negative outcomes. Women cite various forms of social coercion, such as fulfilling sexual scripts and relationship obligations, as primary reasons for participating in unwanted sexual activity without resisting their partners.

Sarantakos's Research on Same-Sex Parenting in Australia and New Zealand: Importance, Substance, and Corroboration with Research from the United States

Sarantakos (1996a) compared teacher ratings and other outcomes for the children of heterosexual married, heterosexual cohabiting, and homosexual parents and reported numerous significant, substantial differences. Few scholars have taken the effect sizes of his results into account or have considered his larger program of research. Sarantakos's research yielded many interesting findings with respect to children's academic performance, sexual orientation, use of alcohol and drugs, sexual deviance, and gender identity with respect to parents' parenting values, relationship stability, conflict, monogamy, and religiosity or moral values, many of which have been corroborated by U.S. or British research. In addition, the methodological quality of his research appears to be at least above average, especially for research done 20 or more years ago. He appears to have been unbiased with respect to same-sex families. His results disseminated via multiple publications should be taken into account in literature reviews concerning same-sex parenting.

When Is It Abuse? How Assailant Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Protection Orders Influence Perceptions of Intimate Partner Abuse

Incidents of intimate partner violence (IPV) are considered more serious when perpetrated by a male than when perpetrated by a female, and IPV among gay men and lesbians are perceived as less serious than IPV among heterosexual couples. This study examines how assailant and victim sexual orientation and protection orders (POs) influence individuals’ evaluations of abuse in a case of simple assault. Respondents (N = 640 college students) were provided with scenarios of IPV among opposite- and same-sex couples with or without a PO. IPV was more likely to be perceived as abuse when a PO was in effect but less likely to be considered abuse when the couple was gay/lesbian. The IPV incident was most likely to be considered abuse when perpetrated by a heterosexual male and least likely to be considered abuse when perpetrated by a gay male. Female respondents were more likely to consider IPV more abusive when perpetrated by heterosexuals with POs than gay/lesbians with or without a PO. Although male respondents rated IPV between opposite- and same-sex couples with a PO similarly, they were less likely to identify IPV abuse in same-sex conditions when no PO was issued. Current findings emphasize some of the disparities in perceptions of what constitutes abuse among same- and opposite-sex couples.