Knowledge About Heterosexual versus Lesbian Battering Among Lesbians

Abstract

There is growing evidence to suggest that abuse in lesbian relationships does exist and may occur on a greater scale than most people are aware of. This paper will define battering in lesbian relationships, its prevalence and characteristics, critique the ability of traditional feminist models to explain lesbian battering, and address the consequent lack of community response to battered lesbians. We will also present results of a study indicating that the silence about lesbian battering among both feminist theorists and activists and the gay/lesbian community has contributed to the invisibility of lesbian battering, and thus lesbians' own lack of knowledge about lesbian battering. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the lesbian community is more familiar with phenomena associated with domestic violence in heterosexual relationships than with violence in intimate lesbian relationships. Community and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.