Same-Sex Domestic Violence : Strategies for Change

While a great deal has been written about domestic violence, almost all of it focuses on the violence of men against their current or former wives or girlfriends. Yet studies have shown that partner abuse is common and as severe among same-sex couples as among heterosexual couples. After years of willful or negligent silence, the gay/lesbian/bisexual communities, the battered women′s communities, academicians, and even portions of the general public are beginning to realize that same-sex domestic violence is a serious social and public health issue.

Unfortunately, the social worker, lawyer, mental health professional, police officer, teacher, or lay person who seeks to assist victims of same-sex domestic violence quickly discovers the dearth of written resource material available. There are very few books and only a smattering of articles that focus on same-sex domestic violence. Most of these works deal either with lesbian or gay male abuse, but not both at once. Moreover, most of these works are devoted to explaining the fact of same-sex domestic violence, rather than discussing strategies for addressing it on both the individual and societal level.

This book examines a broad range of issues that confront victims of same-sex domestic violence, whether women or men, and those who offer them services. The goal is to provide a comprehensive resource book consisting of chapters by prominent professionals and activists on topics of practical concern to people who work with victims of same-sex partner abuse, Topics such as HIV, and same-sex domestic violence, establishing safe-home networks for battered gay men, courtroom advocacy, coalition building, and sexual and dating violence prevention. In each chapter, authors are sensitive and responsive to multicultural issues and to broad issues of social oppression and avoid "one-size-fits-all" assumptions and conclusions.