Invisibility Is Not Invincibility: The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Gay, Bisexual, and Straight Men’s Mental Health

Coston B.M.

Research on disabled non-heterosexual women's post-intimate partner violence mental health outcomes-such as anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and alcohol use-is lacking.To examine the impact of the intersection of disability and sexual orientation on women's post-intimate partner violence mental health outcomes: including difficulty sleeping, missing school or work, or reporting some post-traumatic stress disorder symptomology and a self-reported subjective measure of overall wellbeing.Data come from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (2010). A series of chi-square analyses were conducted (applying standardized sample weights and adjusting standard errors for both clustering and stratification for survey data).Bisexual women are significantly more likely than straight women to report being disabled prior to victimization, but all disabled women-regardless of sexual orientation-are equivalently likely to rate their mental health as poor and/or actively experience difficulty sleeping, difficulty going to work or school, and/or PTSD.Aligned with previous work, this study finds that bisexual women are significantly more likely than straight women to be disabled prior to experiencing all forms of intimate partner violence; and that disabled women, generally, are significantly more likely than not-disabled women to experience the negative mental health consequences of that violence. However, contrary to previous work, there are no sexual orientation disparities in said mental health outcomes among disabled women. Clinically, it is important for health care providers to be aware of the significant impact of intimate partner violence on the disabled women they regularly provide care to.

Coston B.M.

Using data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (Walters et al., 2013), this study theoretically tests reasons for non-monosexual women’s (N = 492) disparate rates of post-...

Donne M.D., DeLuca J., Pleskach P., Bromson C., Mosley M.P., Perez E.T., Mathews S.G., Stephenson R., Frye V.

Research on sexual violence and related support services access has mainly focused on female victims; there is still a remarkable lack of research on men who experience sexual violence. Research demonstrates that people who both self-identify as men and are members of sexual-orientation minority populations are at higher risk of sexual violence. They are also less likely to either report or seek support services related to such experiences. The present study is an exploratory one aimed at filling the gap in the literature and better understanding how men, both straight and gay as well as cisgender and transgender, conceptualize, understand, and seek help related to sexual violence. A sample of 32 men was recruited on-line and participated in either a one-on-one in-depth interview ( N = 19) or one of two focus group discussions ( N = 13). All interviews and groups were audiotaped, professionally transcribed and coded using NVivo 9 qualitative software. The present analysis focused on barriers to and facilitators of support service access. Emergent and cross-cutting themes were identified and presented, with an emphasis on understanding what factors may prevent disclosure of a sexual violence experience and facilitate seeking support services and/or professional help. Through this analysis, the research team aims to add knowledge to inform the development of tools to increase service access and receipt, for use by both researchers and service professionals. Although this study contributes to the understanding of the issue of men’s experiences of sexual violence, more research with diverse populations is needed.

Coston B.M.

While just over one in three heterosexual women will experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in her lifetime, 61% of bisexual women and 78% of non-monosexual women will. Combining previous research and theories on power, social resources, binegativity, and gender-based violence, this article analyzes the role of power and inequality in non-monosexual women’s IPV victimization. Using data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, this article first examines rates of IPV victimization for statistically significant differences between monosexual (e.g., only have dating, romantic, and sexual partners of one sex/gender) and non-monosexual (e.g., have dating, romantic, and sexual partners of multiple sexes/genders) women in the United States and, second, introduces theoretically important variables to logistic regression analyses to determine the correlates of IPV victimization among non-monosexual women (age, race ethnicity, income, education, immigration status, and indigeneity; partner gender; sexual identity). Findings indicate that non-monosexual women are more likely to experience sexual, emotional, and psychological/control violence, and intimate stalking, but have an equivalent risk of experiencing physical violence. Moreover, having an abusive partner who is a man, having a lot of relative social power, and self-identifying as “bisexual” are all significant factors in violence victimization. Importantly, this is the first study using nationally representative data that confirms non-monosexual women are particularly at risk for sexual identity-based violence at the hands of their male/man partners, suggesting binegativity and biphobia may indeed be linked to hegemonic masculinity. Suggestions for moving research forward include improving data collection efforts such that we can disentangle gender from sex and individual aggregate power from relationship inequalities, as well as more adequately account for the timing of sexual identity disclosures within relationships, relative to the timing of violent episodes.

Lee C., Oliffe J.L., Kelly M.T., Ferlatte O.

Gay men are a subgroup vulnerable to depression and suicidality. The prevalence of depression among gay men is three times higher than the general adult population. Because depression is a known risk factor for suicide, gay men are also at high risk for suicidality. Despite the high prevalence of depression and suicidality, health researchers and health care providers have tended to focus on sexual health issues, most often human immunodeficiency virus in gay men. Related to this, gay men’s health has often been defined by sexual practices, and poorly understood are the intersections of gay men’s physical and mental health with social determinants of health including ethnicity, locale, education level, and socioeconomic status. In the current article summated is literature addressing risk factors for depression and suicidality among gay men including family acceptance of their sexual identities, social cohesion and belonging, internalized stigma, and victimization. Barriers to gay men’s help seeking are also discussed in detailing how health care providers might advance the well-being of this underserved subgroup by effectively addressing depression and suicidality.

Oliffe J.L., Creighton G., Robertson S., Broom A., Jenkins E.K., Ogrodniczuk J.S., Ferlatte O.

Men’s high suicide rates have been linked to individual risk factors including history of being abused as a child, single marital status, and financial difficulties. While it has also been suggested that the normative influences of hegemonic masculinities are implicated in men’s suicide, the gendered experiences of male suicidality are poorly understood. In the current photovoice study, 20 men who previously had suicidal thoughts, plans, and/or attempts were interviewed as a means to better understanding the connections between masculinities and their experiences of suicidality. The study findings revealed injury, interiority, and isolation as interconnected themes characterizing men’s suicidality. Injury comprised an array of childhood and/or cumulative traumas that fueled men’s ruminating thoughts inhibiting recovery and limiting hopes for improved life quality. In attempting to blunt these traumas, many men described self-injuring through the overuse of alcohol and other drugs. The interiority theme revealed how suicidal thoughts can fuel hopelessness amid summonsing remedies from within. The challenges to self-manage, especially when experiencing muddled thinking and negative thought were evident, and led some participants to summons exterior resources to counter suicidality. Isolation included separateness from others, and was linked to abandonment issues and not having a job and/or partner. Self-isolating also featured as a protection strategy to avoid troubling others and/or reducing exposure to additional noxious stimuli. The study findings suggest multiple intervention points and strategies, the majority of which are premised on promoting men’s social connectedness. The destigmatizing value of photovoice methods is also discussed.

Miller B., Irvin J.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects countless women and men in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) as well as heterosexual relationships, but few studies have examined how such abuse is associated with the mental health of LGB victims. The present study addresses this issue using data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey to examine differences in depression and anxiety among IPV victims in LGB and heterosexual partnerships. The findings indicate LGB IPV victims are much more likely to have a history of depression (OR 1.70, p < .05) and anxiety (OR 1.70, p < .05) than heterosexual victims. These differences are slightly mediated by the victim's perceived emotional support but not the type of abuse experienced. Our findings accentuate the need for greater inclusion of LGB persons in the IPV and mental health discourse, as well as the importance of social support for IPV victims. Policy implications for members of the LGB community are discussed.

Ferlatte O., Hottes T.S., Trussler T., Marchand R.

Researchers are increasingly using national population surveys (NPS) to understand the health of gay and bisexual men (GBM). However, valid inference from these surveys depends on accurate identification of GBM.We asked 8126 GBM in an anonymous, online, community-recruited survey about their willingness to reveal their sexual orientation in NPS.Overall, 30% indicated that they would not reveal their sexual orientation; however, there were differences in frequencies according to sexual orientation, relationship status, age, HIV status, living environment, education, income, and ethnicity.NPS might not be fully representative of GBM due to misclassification errors stemming from unwillingness to disclose.

Calton J.M., Cattaneo L.B., Gebhard K.T.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive and devastating social problem that is estimated to occur in one of every four opposite-sex relationships and at least one of every five same-sex romantic relationships. These estimates may not represent violence against those who identify as transgender or genderqueer, and very little comprehensive research has been conducted on IPV within these populations. One statewide study on IPV found rates of IPV were as high as one of every two transgender individuals. In order to cope with the effects of abuse or leave an abusive partner, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and genderqueer (LGBTQ) IPV survivors seek support from others. However, LGBTQ IPV survivors may experience unique difficulties related to their sexual orientation and gender identity when seeking assistance. This article reviews the literature on LGBTQ IPV and suggests three major barriers to help-seeking exist for LGBTQ IPV survivors: a limited understanding of the problem of LGBTQ IPV, stigma, and systemic inequities. The significance and consequences of each barrier are discussed, and suggestions for future research, policy, and practice are provided.

Tesch B.P., Bekerian D.A.

Edwards K.M., Sylaska K.M., Neal A.M.

Summary of the Research Literature on IPV AmongLGB PersonsIncidence and Prevalence Rates Sixty-two studies have reported on the incidence and/or preva-lence rates of IPV among LGB individuals. Rates of IPV rangefrom 1% (e.g., Turell [2000] measuring forced sex perpetration incurrent relationships among LGBT individuals) to more than 97%(i.e.,Hequembourg,Parks,V Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Sugarman, 1996) find-ing that 33.3% of men in same-sex relationships reporting victim-ization (Craft & Serovich, 2005), and 9.5% of gay and bisexualmen reporting sexual victimization using author-created questions(Feldman, Ream, Diaz, & El-Bassel, 2008). Similar to the higherrates reported by Craft and Serovich (2005), these researchers alsofound that 27.5% of men in same-sex relationships reported sexualIPV perpetration (Craft & Serovich, 2005). Finally, research in-vestigating physical IPV has found that 41.0% of gay and bisexualmen report being the victim and 35.0% report being the perpetratorof at least one act of physical IPV in their lifetime (Bartholomew,Regan, White, & Oram, 2008), and Craft and Serovich (2005)found similar rates, with 45.1% of men in same-sex relationshipsreporting physical IPV victimization and 39.2% reporting perpe-tration. Although discrepancies appear to be a result of the differ-entformsofIPVbeingmeasuredandsomeresearchers’tendenciesto aggregate multiple forms of IPV when reporting rates, themeasures used can also influence rates. For instance, includingmilder forms of violence in IPV perpetration and victimizationscales can lead to higher rates of reported violence. Specifically,Miller, Greene, Causby, White, and Lockhart (2001) found that46.1% of the lesbians in their study reported some form of mod-erate physical IPV, whereas 14.1% reported severe physical IPV.As shown above, the gaping discrepancy in rates of IPV isattributable to variability in how IPV is defined (IPV victimizationand/or perpetration; physical, sexual, psychological, and/or stalk-ingIPV;lifetime,currentrelationship,lastyear,orsomeothertimeframe) and measured (standardized measurement, most commonlythe Conflict Tactics Scale Revised [Straus et al., 1996], or itemscreated for the individual study by researchers) as well as thesample used (e.g., demographic make-up, national vs. conveniencesample, clinical vs. community sample). Not surprising, the high-est rates of IPV are documented when the measures and definitionsused by researchers are more inclusive and include a longer timeframe. The highest rates of IPV victimization are also documentedin samples evidencing higher levels of IPV risk factors (e.g.,clinical and criminal justice system samples).IPV estimates ranging from 1% to more than 97% tell usextremely little about the scope of the problem. Consistent withother reviews (e.g., Finkelhor, 2011), herein we draw upon themost recent, nationally representative epidemiological data to pro-vide what we consider to be the most reliable and valid estimatesof IPV among LGB individuals, and how these estimates vary asa function of sexual orientation and gender. The CDC releasedsome of the most recent data from the National Intimate Partnerand Sexual Violence Survey, which documented that lifetimeprevalence rates of IPV (inclusive of physical, sexual, stalkingvictimization, but not psychological victimization) occurred atsimilar to higher rates among self-identified LGB adults (bisexualwomen: 61.1%; lesbian women: 43.8%; bisexual men: 37.3%; gaymen: 26.0%) than heterosexual adults (women: 35.0%; men:29.0%)(Walters,Chen,B lesbian women: 29.4%; gaymen: 16.4%) than heterosexual adults (women: 23.6%; men:13.9%). The findings reported by Walters et al. (2013) are some-what consistent with Messinger’s (2011) analysis of the NationalViolence Against Women Survey, in which Messinger docu-mented that means for all forms of IPV victimization (inclusive ofphysical, psychological, and sexual) were greater for LGB indi-viduals than heterosexual individuals. Messinger also documentedthat sexual minority women were most likely to be victims ofsexual IPV, followed by heterosexual women, sexual minoritymen, and heterosexual men. Further, bisexual individuals weremore likely to be victimized than all other groups, and bisexualwomen were more likely to be victimized than bisexual men for allforms of IPV, except psychological IPV.Data from the National Longitudinal Study of AdolescentHealth provide information on IPV among adolescents and youngadults as a function of gender and sexual orientation (Halpern,Young, Waller, Martin, & Kupper, 2004; Renner & Whitney,2010). Using Wave II, Halpern et al. (2004) found that 24% ofadolescents who were in same-sex relationships during the past 18months reported physical and/or psychological IPV victimization.Girls in same-sex relationships reported higher rates of physical

Stephenson R., Finneran C.

Objectives The paper describes the creation of a new scale to measure intimate partner violence (IPV) among gay and bisexual men. Methods Seven focus group discussions were held with gay and bisexual men, focusing on defining intimate partner violence: 30 forms of IPV were identified. A venue-recruited sample of 912 gay and bisexual men was surveyed, examining definitional understanding and recent experiences of each of the 30 forms of IPV. Participants were also asked questions from the CDC definition of intimate partner violence and the short-form of the Conflicts Tactics Scale (CTS2S). Factor analysis of responses to the definitional questions was used to create the IPV-GBM scale, and the prevalence of intimate partner violence was compared with that identified by the CDC and CTS2S measures of intimate partner violence. Results A 23-item scale, with 5 unique domains, was created, with strong internal reliability (Cronbach Alpha >.90). The IPV-GBM scale mirrored both the CDC and CTS2S definitions of intimate partner violence, but contained additional domains such as controlling violence, monitoring behaviors, emotional violence, and HIV-related violence. The new scale identified a significantly higher prevalence of IPV than either of the more commonly used measures. Conclusions The results presented here provide encouraging evidence for a new, more accurate measure of intimate partner violence among gay and bisexual men in the U.S.

American Psychiatric Association

Dillon G., Hussain R., Loxton D., Rahman S.

Associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) and poor physical and mental health of women have been demonstrated in the international and national literature across numerous studies. This paper presents a review of the literature on this topic. The 75 papers included in this review cover both original research studies and those which undertook secondary analyses of primary data sources. The reviewed research papers published from 2006 to 2012 include quantitative and qualitative studies from Western and developing countries. The results show that while there is variation in prevalence of IPV across various cultural settings, IPV was associated with a range of mental health issues including depression, PTSD, anxiety, self-harm, and sleep disorders. In most studies, these effects were observed using validated measurement tools. IPV was also found to be associated with poor physical health including poor functional health, somatic disorders, chronic disorders and chronic pain, gynaecological problems, and increased risk of STIs. An increased risk of HIV was reported to be associated with a history of sexual abuse and violence. The implications of the study findings in relation to methodological issues, clinical significance, and future research direction are discussed.

Nowinski S.N., Bowen E.

Female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) have been the focus of a substantial amount of research. However, the subject of male victims of IPV remains a controversial topic, and one which has been comparatively neglected within the literature, despite some findings suggesting that men are victimized by intimate partners at an equivalent, or even higher rate than women. This paper reviews the literature on male victims of IPV, both within opposite and same-gender relationships, focusing on the prevalence and correlates of IPV, as well as exploring the relationship between IPV and ethnicity. According to the literature reviewed, the prevalence of female perpetrated IPV against heterosexual male victims ranges from 0.2% to 93%, homosexual male victimization ranges between 1.8% and 93.7%, and heterosexual female victimization ranges between 1.3% and 86% depending on the type of IPV included, whether the reference period includes the past 12 months, or lifetime experience, and the method used to assess IPV. These data indicate that victimization is as much an issue for men as it is for women. In addition, it appears that men of certain ethnicities may be more at risk than others. Finally, the empirical literature which examines the correlates of male victimization indicates that male victims in heterosexual and gay relationships share many correlates. Unfortunately however, methodological weaknesses in the available literature and a lack of research in some areas restrict the extent to which conclusions can be drawn, and findings generalized. Recommendations for future research are made.

Leonard S.I., Castiblanco M., Chang A., Belloir J., Caceres B.A., Bruzzese J., Jackman K.B.

Hong C., Wang Y., Wang Y., Pushpanadh S., Stephenson R., Keum B.T., Goldbach J.T., Graham S.M., Holloway I.W.

Sexual minority men (SMM) experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at a substantially high rate and also bear high burdens of adverse mental health outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to consolidate existing evidence on the associations between experiencing IPV and adverse mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, etc.) among SMM. Following the Preferred Reporting Items For Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline, we identified 22 published studies encompassing data from 18,454 individuals, all of which were cross-sectional in design and half of which were conducted in the U.S. We found that experiencing IPV was associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms and anxiety with a pooled Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs) of 1.71 (95% CI [1.43, 2.05]) and 1.89 (95% CI [1.46, 2.43]), respective. Studies also found that IPV was positively associated with suicide-related risk (AOR = 2.71, 95% CI [2.21, 3.32] and perceived loneliness. Studies varied in their IPV measures and recall periods and used diverse mental health measurement tools like PHQ-9/GAD-7, Perceived Stress Scale, and the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed an urgent need to examine the effects of IPV on SMM’s mental well-being in low- and middle-income countries using standardized IPV measurement tools. Future research should employ a longitudinal design to track the long-term effects of IPV on the mental well-being of SMM and explore potential interventions for mitigating these impacts over time. These insights are crucial for enhancing IPV screening within healthcare settings and identifying key intervention targets aimed at improving the mental health of SMM.

Pless J., Gibbs J.J.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue among men who have sex with men (MSM). However, IPV has long been conceptualized as abuse between a male perpetrator and a female victim, leaving gaps in the literature on the unique impacts IPV victimization has for both male victims and victims in same-sex relationships. This study examines relationships between IPV and negative minority stress experiences specific to LGBTQ individuals: overt experiences of homophobia, sexual orientation microaggressions, and internalized homophobia. Participants ( N = 168) were recruited through three popular MSM networking applications (i.e., Grindr, Jack’d, and Scruff. Most were recruited from one state in the southeastern United States. Ordinary Least Squares regressions were used to examine IPV as a predictive factor in three separate models, all of which controlled for age, race, outness, and gay community connection (GCC). IPV victimization is associated with increased levels of experiences of overt homophobia, homophobic microaggressions, and internalized homophobia for MSM. Outness, or being open with the people in one’s life about one’s MSM identity, is associated with lower levels of both sexual orientation microaggressions and internalized homophobia. GCC is also associated with lower levels of internalized homophobia. Results from this study show that IPV victimization is related to minority stressors for MSM. These findings support the existence of unique elements of IPV for LGBTQ victims, specifically MSM. Implications for IPV researchers and service providers are discussed, including the importance of the protective role of outness and GCC against some minority stressors.

Drouillard K.J., Foster A.M.

AbstractIntroductionIntimate partner violence (IPV) involves an individual committing acts intended to harm or intimidate a current or former romantic partner. The COVID‐19 pandemic and subsequent stay‐at‐home orders often trapped victims with perpetrators and intensified IPV. Although sexual and gender diverse people disproportionately experience IPV compared to cisgender, heterosexual people, their experiences are not well documented in the Canadian context. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Two‐Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual and gender diverse (2S/LGBTQIA+) people with IPV in Ontario and how the COVID‐19 pandemic affected their IPV experiences.MethodsWe conducted in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with self‐identified 2S/LGBTQIA+ people who experienced IPV on/after March 15, 2020. We audio‐recorded and transcribed all interviews and coded the transcripts for content and themes using inductive and deductive techniques.ResultsOur 20 participants experienced physical, psychological, sexual, and financial abuse. Technology‐facilitated violence extended abuse geographically and temporally. IPV experiences were associated with negative mental health outcomes that were intensified by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Participants struggled to see themselves as legitimate victims of IPV. Although participants regretted being victims of violence, many saw their abusive relationship(s) as a learning experience to inform future relationships.DiscussionOur findings suggest that 2S/LGBTQIA+ people may experience unique forms of identity abuse and may have difficulty recognizing their IPV experiences as abuse. Ensuring that comprehensive sexual health education is trauma‐informed, anti‐oppressive, and includes information about healthy relationship dynamics, 2S/LGBTQIA+ relationships, and IPV is critical.

Ummak E., Toplu Demirtaş E., Özkan H.

Drawing upon in-depth, semistructured interviews with 26 LGB participants, we explored how LGB individuals experience IPV uniquely in Türkiye. Conducting thematic analysis, we generated four themes: (a) invalidation of sexual identity, (b) controlling sexuality and sexual behaviors, (c) disclosure of sexual orientation, and (d) binegativity. The analysis emphasizes LGB-specific power dynamics influencing IPV. A discussion is provided regarding the extent to which these four themes are specific to IPV in LGB relationships. Additionally, recommendations are offered to mental health professionals on tailoring their approaches and promoting advocacy for the needs of LGB IPV survivors.

Nelson R.

Neppl A.K., Lohman B.J., Neppl T.K., Taylor A.B., Stuhlsatz G.L.

Boots G., Crozier B., Popovic G., McNulty A.

Background In Australia, 17% of women and 6% of men have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). Although most IPV research has focused on heterosexual partnerships, studies suggest that men who have sex with men (MSM) may experience IPV at similar or higher rates than those documented among women. IPV may also take different forms among MSM and have different health and social impacts. This study aims to assess the utility of a screening tool for identifying and responding to IPV among MSM attending a sexual health clinic in Sydney, Australia. Methods Between 1 June 2020 and 30 June 2022, MSM clients were screened using standardised questions to identify IPV experienced within the preceding 12 months. Answers to the screening questions were correlated with data collected routinely at the initial clinic visit, including age, employment, country of birth, drug and alcohol use, sexual partner numbers, and any history of sex work, pre-exposure prophylaxis use and HIV status, as well as any bacterial STI diagnosed at the initial visit. Results There were 2410 eligible clients and of these, 2167 (89.9%) were screened during the study period. A total of 64 men (3.0%) (95% CI 2.3–3.8%) reported experiencing physical violence or intimidation in the past 12 months. Controlling for age, men who were born in Australia were 2.03 (95% CI: 1.04–3.01) times more likely to report IPV, and men who had Medicare were 2.43 (95% CI: 0.95–3.90) times more likely to report IPV than those who did not. Those who had ever injected drugs were 5.8 (95% CI: 1.87–9.73) times more likely to report IPV, and men with sexualised drug use were 4.11 (95% CI: 2.03–6.19) times more likely. Those that were employed or studying were 72% (95%CI: 0.13–0.42) less likely to report IPV. Conclusions The prevalence of reported IPV in our study was lower than that reported by others, which may be due to differences in recruitment methods and questions asked. Associations between IPV in MSM and injecting drug use and sexualised drug use highlight that clinicians should be aware of the impact and potential for IPV particularly in those with risk factors.

Englund H.M.

In recent decades, much attention has been placed on reducing health disparities that have plagued the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning community. Significant health disparities continue to exist compared with the heterosexual population. Sexual minorities tend to experience higher rates of acute and chronic conditions than the general population. Sexual minorities are more likely to delay seeking medical care and are less likely to lack a consistent source for health care. A provider’s failure to recognize and a person’s lack of disclosure prevent vital discussions about human immunodeficiency virus risk, hormone therapy , cancer risk, hepatitis, and sexual health.

Tineo K., Brumbaugh C., Nikulina V.

Rustagi K., JadKarim L., Birk N., Tran A.

PurposeIntimate partner violence (IPV) is becoming more recognized as a public health concern among sexual minority men, including bisexual and gay men. Guided by the Minority Stress Model, we assessed the relationship between perceived discrimination and three forms of IPV among a sample of bisexual and gay men living in the United States.MethodsWe analyzed data as part of the Men’s Body Project, a cross-sectional study launched in 2020 to assess health behaviors of bisexual and gay men.ResultsA total of 549 individuals participated in the survey, of which 52% were gay and 48% were bisexual men. Perceived discrimination was significantly associated with elevated odds ratios ranging from 1.15 to 1.18 across three forms of IPV, with Physical IPV odds ratio being highest.ConclusionGiven the significant association between perceived discrimination and IPV, interventions aimed at addressing IPV experiences among sexual minority men must consider the role of minority stress.

McGregor K.

This chapter offers a summary of who lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer communities are; how domestic violence and abuse manifests within lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer communities; and the risk and protective factors associated with domestic violence and abuse in lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer communities. Taking an international perspective, the chapter highlights that domestic violence and abuse within lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer communities is highly prevalent and has significant implications for victim/survivors and wider society. Explanations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer domestic violence and abuse argue that the social and cultural context of the relationship(s) is key to understanding it, yet research in this field is in it’s infancy, particularly in relation to bisexual, trans, and non-binary people. This chapter draws attention to the multifaceted nature of violence and abuse in the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people, noting many challenges in preventing and addressing it. The chapter concludes with a case study of fatal domestic abuse highlighting the need for further research which explores the intersectional factors impacting domestic violence and abuse in lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer communities.

Aviram Z., Tener D., Katz C.

Despite the extensive research on child sexual abuse and the alarming extent of the phenomenon among peers, certain perspectives are still missing.The current study aimed to explore the subjective experience of adult survivors of peer sexual abuse while in boarding school, which has rarely been explored.The present study included 15 adults who were sexually abused by their peers while attending boarding school.The data were based on semi-structured in-depth interviews focused on the abuse story, disclosure, and the meaning of the boarding school context to the participants. The interviews were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis approach.The findings characterized the boarding school as lacking parental figures, lacking rule and regulation enforcement, and staff who were not able to deal effectively with sexual abuse cases. The relationships within the peer group in the boarding school were characterized by intense, although unspoken, intimacy and sexuality. As part of the group's socialization, breaking the rules was encouraged, including in the sexual realm. Furthermore, the boarding school was perceived as a space that maintained conservative patriarchal social structures that encouraged traditional gender perceptions.The findings of the current study indicated the urgent need to advance both policy and practice in this area, for example, greater involvement of the boarding school staff in the lives of the adolescents and implementation of rules and regulations to create a safer climate for those who choose, or need, to live away from home.

Kar A., Das N., Broadway-Horner M., Kumar P.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been a significant public health problem in same-sex relationships. However, health policies across the globe do not address IPV causing a massive gap in health and economic burden. In the last decade, crucial missing links have been established, and researchers tried to connect the dots of this severe health disparity. This intersectionality has found the impact of race, gender, class, physical ability, and legal framework of IPV in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) relationships. However, preventive strategies, training programs, and dialogues in the clinical field about IPV are from heteronormative lenses. This particular bias can perpetuate the issue and will remain one of the leading causes of health burden in the LGB population. This article reviews the lacunae in health policies regarding same-sex IPV, highlights its impact on minority mental health, and calls for attention to train health-care professionals regarding the same.

Pontes N.M., Thompson S., Saffold T.L., Pontes M.C.

Adolescents who have been forced to have sexual intercourse have higher rates of depressive symptoms and suicidality.This research investigated whether the association between adolescent forced sexual intercourse victimization and depressive symptoms or suicidality varies significantly by sex.This secondary analysis pooled cross-sectional data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2001 through 2017 (N = 132,580) using R to estimate adjusted risk differences and additive interactions.Results show an extremely high prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidality among adolescents who experience forced sexual victimization. This association is significantly higher among females for depressive symptoms, but significantly higher among males for suicide attempt or suicide attempt requiring treatment.also showed that approximately 40% of both males and females who attempted suicide requiring treatment also had a history of forced sexual intercourse victimization.These findings highlight the importance of screening for sexual victimization, depression and suicidality among adolescents.