Lesbians’ Descriptions of the Actions that Led to Their Arrests and Court-Orders to Antiviolence Intervention: Practice, Advocacy, and Research Considerations

Much of the focus of the feminist antiviolence movement has been directed toward the experiences of cisgender heterosexual people and their criminal legal system (CLS) contact. Less is known about the experiences of racially marginalized cisgender lesbians who have had CLS contact due to their use of force or alleged use of force. Addressing this gap in the literature, this study focuses on the written reports of 14 cisgender lesbians, 10 of whom are women of color. Their self-reports documented during court-ordered antiviolence intervention intake assessments following their arrests and convictions provide first-person accounts of why the women perpetrated harm against their intimate partners. Using thematic analysis, the authors inductively and deductively analyzed the women's descriptions for exploratory themes. Centering the women's words and experiences through the resulting themes, the authors encourage a critical analysis of cis heteronormative institutional practices that pose barriers to cisgender lesbians receiving holistic support while navigating intimate partner violence and abuse. Considerations for feminist social work practice, advocacy, and research are discussed.