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While understanding of intimate partner abuse (IPA) in gay and lesbian relationships has increased within the past decade, there remain several gaps in the help-seeking research. In particular, research examining the external barriers to help-seeking encountered by gay and lesbian victims of IPA has been largely atheoretical. To address this gap, an application of The Barriers Model was undertaken. This mixed-methods study surveyed 280 gay, lesbian, and/or queer participants living in Canada. Findings revealed that victims encountered external barriers in the environment (i.e., Layer 1 of the model), such as lack of availability of gay and lesbian specific services. Results also suggested that barriers due to family/socialization/role expectations (i.e., Layer 2 of the model), such as concealment of sexual orientation, had an impact on help-seeking.
Keywords : accessibility of formal services ; availability of formal services ; outness ; gay and lesbian intimate partner abuse
It is now commonly accepted that intimate partner abuse (IPA) against heterosexual women is a serious social problem. Statistics Canada reports that over 38,000 incidents of spousal violence were reported to the police in 2006. The National Violence Against Women Survey in the United States ( Tjaden & Thoennes, 1998 ) indicates that 2.1 million women are victims of rape and/or physical assault every year. Estimates of IPA in gay and lesbian partnerships suggest that this is also a serious issue. Approximately 11% to 12% of gay men and lesbians experience physical abuse at the hands of their partners ( Rohrbaugh, 2006 ). Although the topic of same-sex partner abuse is no longer in its infancy, with seminal works dating back to the mid-eighties to early nineties (see Brand & Kidd, 1986 ; Island & Letellier, 1991 ; Lobel, 1986 ), additional empirical research founded in theory is needed.
Similar to the reports of battered heterosexual women, a range of negative psychological, social, and physical effects have been reported by victims of same-sex partner abuse ( Chesley, MacAulay, & Ristock, 1998 ; Heintz & Melendez, 2006 ; Renzetti, 1992 ). Much like battered heterosexual women, victims of same-sex partner abuse may seek a variety of formal and/or informal sources to start the process of leaving their abusive partners, or help deal with the consequences of IPA. However, seeking help...