Domestic violence is more common among same sex couples as there may be extra stress in such relationships, a new study finds.
Domestic violence is not a rarity and may occur at least as frequently, and likely even more so, between same-sex couples compared to opposite-sex couples, according to the findings of a new study by researchers from Northwestern Medicine University.
"Evidence suggests that the minority stress model may explain these high prevalence rates," said senior author Richard Carroll, associate professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a psychologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, in a press statement. "Domestic violence is exacerbated because same-sex couples are dealing with the additional stress of being a sexual minority. This leads to reluctance to address domestic violence issues."
Previous studies have also found that domestic violence affects 25 percent to 75 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. Unfortunately, these studies had access to incomplete information and painted a bleak picture of domestic abuse among same-sex couples.
"There has been a lot of research on domestic violence but it hasn't looked as carefully at the subgroup of same-sex couples," Carroll said. "Another obstacle is getting the appropriate samples because of the stigma that has been attached to sexual orientation. In the past, individuals were reluctant to talk about it."
Another drawback of these studies is that most of them have focused on lesbian couples and not gay men or bisexual individuals.
"Men may not want to see themselves as the victim, to present themselves as un-masculine and unable to defend themselves," Carroll said.
Additionally, same-sex couples may be more vocal about domestic abuse than homosexual men and women, who may not report domestic violence for fear of discrimination and being blamed for abuse from a partner or fear of their sexual orientation becoming public.
"We need to educate health care providers about the presence of this problem and remind them to assess for it in homosexual relationships, just as they would for heterosexual patients," Carroll said. "The hope is that with increasingly deeper acceptance, the stress and stigma will disappear for these individuals so they can get the help they need."
The study was published online in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.
