Same Gender Abuse

[JuanJosé]

I found this wonderful site with useful information
http://gaylife.about.com/od/abusedomesticviolence/a/gayabuse.htm

We hear stories of domestic violence every day, but rarely do we imagine abuse between two men or two women. However, gays and lesbians are susceptible to domestic violence just as any other individual.

So, why do we hear so little about domestic violence between gays and lesbians and why are so few cases reported?

First off, it's difficult to determine which partner is the victim (unlike heterosexual couples where the woman is most often the victim).

Many gay men hesitate to report abuse, fearing exposure of their sexuality.

There are very few abuse centers that provide services for lgbt individuals. There are even fewer centers solely dedicated to gay and lesbian victims.

Because majority of support groups are comprised of heterosexuals, gays feel they must hide their sexuality or come out to the support group.

Many gay couples share friends, so the victim may be afraid of losing the support he finds in his partner and mutual friends.

Victims of abuse should focus on their safety and not the fear of being "outed" or losing existing support systems.

What are the different types of abuse?

Not many people realize that there are many types of abuse. Read the different forms below:

Physical abuse
Hitting, beating, choking, slapping, pushing, kicking, biting, etc.
Abandoning a partner or holding a partner down by force
Intimidating a partner, abusing pets, stealing or selling partner's possessions
Use or threats with a weapon of any kind

[Amy]

Abuse is not any different for one person than another regardless of who they are. It is true that society looks at women as being the victim more than any other group. Society needs to take the blinders off and see that it is across the board, and having been around the gay community most of my life, I have seen how vicious and abusive some of these relationships are. Men abuse women, women abuse women, women abuse men, men abuse men, both men and women abuse children, we are living in a violent time here, and we need to open the doors to help those in need regardless of who they are. We need to support humanity, and take care of those in need.

Good post JuanJose :) amy

[Administrator]

Here's another useful link
http://www.mens-links.net/showlinks.asp?category=4