A comparative approach to intimate partner violence in LGBTQI+ and heterosexual relationships: The role of social work
Published:
Sep 17, 2024
Keywords:
Intimate Partner Violence LGBTQI Community Social Work
Abstract
This present study examines the phenomenon of intimate partner violence in LGBTQI+ relationships, with a comparison to the prevalence of such violence in heterosexual relationships. Given the high levels of stigma, oppression and marginalisation faced by the LGBTQI+ community, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of violence in LGBTQI+ and heterosexual relationships, the forms that violence may take, the barriers to help – seeking and existing social work interventions. In order to achieve this objective, a secondary search of six sources of information (PubMed, Springer Link, Sage Pub, JSTOR, Scopus and Google Scholar) was conducted. Initially, 214 records were identified, of which 34 were finally included in the study after evaluation according to the established selection and rejection criteria. The findings of the review indicate that levels of violence in relationships between individuals identifying as LGBTQI+ are higher than in heterosexual relationships. The types of violence remain consistent. The distinction can be found in the specific targeting of gender identity and sexuality in instances of violence. Systematic barriers to help – seeking, including discrimination, a lack of inclusive services and social stigma, render intimate partner violence in LGBTQI+ relationships invisible. With regard to the role and interventions of social workers, the literature is scarce at the international and national levels. There is a strong need for primary research in the field of intimate partner violence, taking into account all sexual orientations and gender identities, in order to facilitate the development of targeted interventions in social work to effectively address the issue.
Article Details
- Section
- Article
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Argüello, T. M. (2019). Introduction. In T.M. Argüello (Ed.), Social Work Cases for LGBTQ+ Affirmative Practice. Columbia University Press.
Barrett, B. J., & Sheridan, D. V. (2017). Partner Violence in Transgender Communities: What Helping Professionals Need to Know. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 13(2), 137 – 162. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1550428x.2016.1187104
Bartholomew, K., Regan, K. V., White, M. A., & Oram, D. (2008). Patterns of Abuse in Male Same – Sex Relationships. Violence and Victims, 23(5), 617 – 636. DOI: 10.1891/0886-6708-23.5.617
Basile, K. C., & Black, M. C. (2011). Intimate Partner Violence Against Women. In C.M. Renzetti, J.L. Edleson & R. Kennedy – Bergen (Eds), Sourcebook on Violence Against Women, 2nd Edition, (pp. 111 – 132). SAGE Publications.
Benavides, M. O., Berry, O. O., & Mangus, M. (2019). Guide to Treating LGBTQ Patients Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence. American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/diversity/education/intimate-partner-violence/lgbtq
Bermea, A. M., van Eeden – Moorefield, B., & Khaw, L. (2019). Serving queer survivors of intimate partner violence through diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 31(4), 521 – 545. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538720.2019.1653805
Bolam, L. T. (2016). Intimate Partner Violence within LGBTQ+ Samples: A Systematic Review. Journal of Applied Psychology and Social Science, 2(1), 89 – 113. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1520-0318
Brill, S., & Pepper, R. (2008). The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals. Cleis Press.
Brown, C. (2008). Gender – Role Implications on Same – Sex Intimate Partner Abuse. Journal of Family Violence, 23, 457 – 462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-008-9172-9
Carter, C. (2020). The New Adolescence: Raising Happy and Successful Teens in an Age of Anxiety and Distraction. Ben Bella Books.
Crooks, R., Baur, K., & Widman, L. (2020). Our Sexuality. Cengage.
Dalzell, H., & Protos, K. (2020). A clinician’s guide to gender identity and body image: Practical support for working with transgender and gender – expansive clients. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Erbaugh, E. B. (2007). Intimate Partner Violence in Queer, Transgender, and Bi Communities. In N.A. Jackson (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Domestic Violence (pp. 409 – 422). Routledge.
Gates, T. G., & Kelly, B. L. (2018). Affirming and strengths – based models of practice. In M.P. Dentato (Ed.), Social Work Practice with the LGBTQ Community. The Intersection of History, Health, Mental Health and Policy Factors (pp. 475 – 493). Oxford University Press.
Gilchrist, G., Potts, L. C., Connolly, D. J., Winstock, A., Baratt, M. J., Ferris, J., Gilchrist, E., & Davies, E. (2023). Experience and perpetration of intimate partner violence and abuse by gender of respondent and their current partner before and during COVID – 19 restrictions in 2020: a cross – sectional study in 13 countries. BMC Public Health, 23, 316. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14635-2
Gray, R., Walker, T., Hamer, J., Broady, T., Kean, J., Ling, J., & Bear, B. (2020). Developing LGBTQ programs for perpetrators and victims/survivors of domestic and family violence. (Research report, 10/2020). Sydney, NSW: ANROWS.
Hamel, J. (2005). Gender Inclusive Treatment of Intimate Partner Abuse: A Comprehensive Approach. Springer.
Harland, K. K., Peek – Asa, K., & Saftlas, A. F. (2021). Intimate Partner Violence and Controlling Behaviours Experienced by Emergency Department Patients: Differences by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification. J. Interpers Violence, 36(11 – 12), 6125 – 6143. DOI: 10.1177/0886260518812070.
Hollin, C. R. (2016). The Psychology of Interpersonal Violence. Wiley.
International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW). (2014). Global definition of Social Work. https://www.ifsw.gr/what-is-social-work/global-defintion-of-social-work/
Jolles, M. (2016). Embodiment. In E.A. Goldberg (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies (pp. 361 – 363). SAGE Publications.
Langenderfer – Magruder, L., Whitfield, D. L., Walls, E., Kattari, S. K., & Rammos, D. (2016). Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Subsequent Police Reporting Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Adults in Colorado: Comparing Rates of Cisgender and Transgender Victimization. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 31(5), 855 – 871. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260514556767
Laskey, P., & Bolam, L. T. (2019). Barriers to support in LGBTQ+ populations. In E.A. Bates & J.C. Taylor (Eds), Intimate Partner Violence: New Perspectives in Research and Practice. Routledge.
Lindsey, L. L. (2021). Gender: Sociological Perspectives (7th Ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315102023
McHugh, M. C., & Frieze, I. H. (2006). Intimate Partner Violence. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1087(1), 121 – 141. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1385.011
McLeod, D. A., Having, K., Gandy – Guedes, M., & Natale, A. P. (2018). Understanding the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence: Trends, Frameworks, and Treatments. In M.P. Dentato (Ed.), Social Work Practice with the LGBTQ Community. The Intersection of History, Health, Mental Health and Policy Factors (pp. 475 – 493). Oxford University Press.
Messing, J. T., Ward – Lasher, A., Thaller, J., & Bagwell – Gray, M. (2015). The State of Intimate Partner Violence Intervention: Progress and Continuing Challenges. Social Work, 20(4), 305 – 313. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swv027
Messinger, A. M. (2010). Invisible Victims: Same – Sex IPV in the National Violence Against Women Survey. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(11), 2228 – 2243. DOI: 10.1177/0886260510383023.
Messinger, A. M. (2017). LGBTQ Intimate Partner Violence: Lessons for Policy, Practice and Research. University of California Press.
Messinger, A. M., & Roark, J. (2019). LGBTQ Partner Violence. In W.S. Dekeseredy, C.M. Rennison, & A.K. Hall – Sanchez (Eds), The Routledge International Handbook of Violence Studies. Routledge.
Morrow, D. F. (2006). Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression. In D.F. Morrow & L. Mesinger (Eds), Sexual orientation and gender expression in social work practice: Working with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people (pp. 3 – 17). Columbia University Press.
Nikolaidis, C., & Paranjape, A. (2009). Defining Intimate Partner Violence: Controversies and Implications. In C. Mitchell & D. Anglin (Eds), Intimate Partner Violence: A Health – Based Perspective (pp. 19 – 30). Oxford University Press.
Παγάνης, Φ. (2020). Βασικές έννοιες και ΛΟΑΤΚΙ+ ορολογίες. Στο Ν. Παπαθανασίου & Ε.Ο. Χρηστίδη (επιμ.), Συμπερίληψη και Ανθεκτικότητα: Βασικές αρχές ψυχοκοινωνικής στήριξης σε θέματα σεξουαλικού προσανατολισμού, ταυτότητας, έκφρασης και χαρακτηριστικών φύλου (σ. 70 – 81). Gutenberg.
Παπαθανασίου, Ν. & Χρηστίδη, Ο. Ε. (2020). Θεωρητικό πλαίσιο: Επίδραση των διακρίσεων, μειονοτικό στρες, ψυχική ανθεκτικότητα και κοινοτική ψυχολογία. Στο Ν. Παπαθανασίου & Ο. Ε. Χρηστίδη (επιμ.), Συμπερίληψη και Ανθεκτικότητα: Βασικές αρχές ψυχοκοινωνικής στήριξης σε θέματα σεξουαλικού προσανατολισμού, ταυτότητας, έκφρασης και χαρακτηριστικών φύλου (σ. 29 – 53). Gutenberg.
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. (2006). Be Yourself: Questions and Answers for Gay, Lesbian, & Transgender Youth. PFLAG.
Peitzmeizer, S. M., Malik, M., Kattari, S. K., Marrow, E., Stephenson, R., Agenor, M., & Reisner, S. L. (2020). Intimate Partner Violence in Transgender Populations: Systematic Review and Meta – analysis of Prevalence and Correlates. American Journal of Public Health, 110, 1 – 14. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305774
Peterman, L. M., & Dixon, C. G. (2003). Domestic Violence Between Same – Sex Partners: Implications for Counselling. Journal of Counselling & Development, 81, 40 – 47. https://doi.org/10/1002/j.1556-6678.2003.tb00223.x
Petilli, A. (2016). Intimate Violence in Same – Sex Relationships. In G. Viggiani (Ed.), Domestic and Dating Violence Against LBT Women in the EU (pp. 13 – 26). European Commission.
Quinn, X. (2020). Tactics and Justifications of Abuse Involving Transgender Individuals. In A.M. Messinger & X.L. Guadalupe – Diaz (Eds), Transgender Intimate Partner Violence (pp. 35 – 61). New York University Press.
Ristock, J. L. (2002). No More Secrets: Violence in Lesbian Relationships. Routledge.
Roch, A., & Morton, J. (2010). Out of sight, out of mind? Transgender people’s experiences of domestic abuse. https://www.scottishtrans.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/trans_domestic_abuse.pdf
Rollè, L., Giardina, G., Caldarera, A. M., Gerino, E., & Brustia, P. (2018). When Intimate Partner Violence Meets Same Sex Couples: A Review of Same Sex Intimate Partner Violence. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 1506. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01506
Rusell, E. B., & Viggiani, P. A. (2018). Understanding Differences and Definitions: From oppression to sexual health and practice. In M.P. Dentato (Ed.), Social Work Practice with the LGBTQ community: The intersection of History, Health, Mental Health, and Policy Factors (pp, 26 – 48). Oxford University Press.
Russell, B. (2020). Introduction: A Call to Action. In B. Russell (Ed.), Intimate Partner Violence and the LGBT+ Community. Understanding Power Dynamics (3 – 10). Springer.
Soh, D. (2020). The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths about Sex and Identity in our Society. Treshold Editions.
Tognasso, G., Trombetta, T., Gorla, L., Ramon, S., Santona, A., & Rollè, L. (2022). Romantic Attachment, Internalised Homonegativity, and Same – Sex Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Lesbian Women in Italy. Front. Psychol., (13), 870921. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.870921
Townsend, M. H., & Kenndey – Bailey, R. (2021). Same – Sex Partner Violence: A Look at Domestic Violence in the LGBTQ Community. In R. Kennedy – Bailey (Ed.), Intimate Partner Violence: An Evidence – Based Approach (pp. 47 – 56). Springer.
Turner, R., & Hammersjö, A. (2024). Navigating survivorhood? Lived experiences of social support – seeking among LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence. Qualitative Social Work, 23(2), 242 – 260. https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250221150208
Underwood, L. A., & Dailey, F. L. L. (2017). Counselling adolescents competently. SAGE Publications.
Walker, J. K. (2015). Investigating Trans People’s Vulnerabilities to Intimate Partner Violence/Abuse. Partner Abuse, 6(1), 107 – 125. DOI: 10.1891/1946-6560.6.107
Walters, M. L., Chen, J., & Breiding, M. J. (2013). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Finding on Victimization by Sexual Orientation. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Prevention and Control, Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Weber, G., & Heffern, K. T. (2008). Social Work Practice with Bisexual People. In G.P. Mallon (Ed.), Social Work Practice with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People, 2nd Edition, (pp. 69 – 79). Routledge.
Winfield, C. L. (2019). Gender Identity: The ultimate teen guide. Rowman & Littlefield.
World Health Organization. (2019). Violence against women: Intimate partner and sexual violence against women: Evidence brief (No. WHO/RHR/19.16). WHO.
