Physical abuse is not the domain merely of heterosexual men -- male victims and partners in gay or lesbian relationships face special challenges when they call 911, seek court relief, or attempt to deal with the abuse at hand, Bloomington counselor Cheryl Strong advises.
Strong notes how the system has adapted -- or sometimes has failed to -- in seemingly unorthodox domestic abuse cases. She argues a male partner in a relationship who has been assaulted by or fears escalation to violence or a violation of orders of protection by his female partner should call 9-1-1 as readily as would a female abuse victim. It's not a matter of a partner's ability to physically defend himself, but a matter of being able to legally protect himself in the event a physical episode occurs.
"If you're at risk, and you're a male, you need to let the police know what happened," Strong maintains.
Same-sex couples can experience "very similar dynamics" as regards domestic abuse, but Strong rejects the "myth" that two male partners or two female partners are an equal physical or emotional match in a conflict. That myth may cause some law enforcement officers to respond differently to a domestic incident involving an LGBT couple, potentially underestimating the threat to a victim.
"It's not really about strength -- it's about who is being the abuser and is taking the liberties of power and control in a relationship," Strong relates.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers this overview of the dynamics of power and control in various relationships and gender orientations.
Further, reporting same-sex partner violence or abuse may require victims to "out" themselves before they are willing or ready, and even today, Strong warns some LGBT couples may feel isolated within the community and thus reluctant to seek official assistance or highlight abuse. Most domestic abuse shelters aren't designed to meet the needs of same-sex partners, further limiting options for victims or potential victims.
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, conducted in 2010 and published in 2013, interviewed 9,086 women and 7,421 men who self-identified as heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual. The survey focused on sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence in the 12 months before the survey and over the respondents' lifetime. The federal Centers for Disease Control measured intimate partner violence across five categories: psychological aggression and coercive control, control of reproductive or sexual health, physical violence, and stalking.
The CDC determined a lifetime prevalence of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner was 43.8 percent for lesbians, 61.1 percent for bisexual women, and 35 percent for heterosexual women, while it was 26 percent for gay men, 37.3 percent for bisexual men, and 29 percent for heterosexual men.
The good news is, the local law enforcement community is responding to the special issues of LGBT citizens. Illinois State University Police Chief Aaron Woodruff recently helped local police and correctional officers gain greater insight into issues facing the transgender community. Woodruff was one of the main presenters at police training sessions sponsored and moderated by the U.S. Department of Justice. Other presenters at the sessions included members of the transgender community from Champaign, Peoria and Chicago.
“The training sessions gave officers and staff members a greater understanding of the transgender community and issues surrounding gender identity and expression,” said Woodruff. “Greater awareness of those issues helps to build trust and foster better communication between police officers and members of the transgender community.”
All University Police officers and dispatchers took part in the training, along with police officers from Bloomington and Normal, McLean County Sheriff’s deputies and McLean County Jail correctional officers.
In addition to general cultural competency, the training sessions addressed specific situations involving interactions with law enforcement, such as victim interviews, searches and even jail placements.
For more information, check out the National Domestic Violence Hotline at http://www.thehotline.org/is-this-abuse/lgbt-abuse/.