Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration among Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals

Evidence from Norway

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health concern that profoundly affects not only heterosexual but also lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations. Although studies conducted outside Norway have reported similar prevalence rates of IPV in heterosexual and LGB relationships, no published studies from Norway, whether academic or from nongovernmental organizations, have focused specifically on IPV prevalence rates in the LGB population. One reason might be the absence of a standardized tool to measure IPV. In this study, as researchers with backgrounds in social psychology, violence and minority studies, we firstly aim to evaluate the validity of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-R) in understanding the intimate partner violence experiences of LGB individuals. Secondly, we investigate how common various forms of perpetration and victimization are within the LGB community, specifically looking at psychological aggression, physical assault, and sexual coercion. We are also interested in whether there are any differences in the experiences of these forms of violence based on sexual orientation. To conduct this research, we studied 285 LGB individuals in Norway, aged between 18 and 64 (mean age = 31.80 years). The results of a correlation analysis revealed that all types of victimization from and perpetration of violence are positively and strongly associated. Chi-square tests indicated that there was no significant difference among LGB individuals in psychological and physical victimization or perpetration. However, gay individuals reported significantly higher sexual IPV victimization and perpetration than lesbian and bisexual individuals. Overall, we suggest that the CTS-R has satisfactory construct validity and effectively helps gauge psychological, physical, and sexual IPV in the LGB population. Moreover, we conclude that psychological, physical, and sexual IPV perpetration and victimization are prevalent in LGB relationships in Norway, and thus, that LGB IPV warrants further investigation into its antecedents and consequences.