Breaking the Silence: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Health-Related Effects

• In Event: 380 - Section on Sociology of Sexualities Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 06. Identities

Abstract

Although “the short and long-term effects of domestic violence are health care issues that nearly every practicing physician encounters in the course of routine clinical practice” (Alpert 1995), no study using a representative, probability sample has assessed whether or not there are disparities in negative health outcomes and/or disparities in health care/medical service utilization between lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) men and women and heterosexual/straight men and women. This paper underscores the importance of expanding understandings of intimate partner violence by examining these very issues: first by comparing rates of intimate partner violence (sexual, physical, psychological, control, and stalking), then by comparing rates of negative health outcomes (physical and psychological) of said violence, and finally by examining the medical and psychological health care seeking and utilization behaviors, controlling for injuries suffered. For contrast, this paper also looks at care-seeking at community and criminal justice service providers.

Author

• Bethany Coston, Virginia Commonwealth University