Verywell / Alison Czinkota
Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor.
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Verywell / Alison Czinkota
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Intimate partner violence can be very different from that common vision of it, though.
Domestic violence can cause a victim incredible, long-lasting harm even if they are never touched physically.
Partner violence withinLGBTQ+ relationshipsoccurs as often, if not more often, than in heterosexual relationships.
There is much less research available about partner violence in LGBTQ+ relationships than domestic violence in heterosexual relationships.
What those studies have found, though, is staggering.
Who Is at Risk?
Any human is at risk of partnering with someone who turns out to be abusive.
What Prevents People From Seeking Help?
LGBTQ+ victims of domestic violence face all of those same barriers.
However, they potentially face multiple additional barriers to receiving help, as well.
These barriers are discussed below.
This could affect everything from their relationship with their parents or other family members to their careers.
As a result, it adds another layer of emotional distress to an already impossibly stressful situation.
This means that they’re at risk of disclosing difficult information, just to possibly not be believed.
Imperfect Legal Protections
Homophobiaandtransphobiastill play a role in the legal workings of many states.
So a domestic violence victim may encounter prejudiced police officers or other authority figures when they report abuse.
Unfortunately, this can still occur even if the laws in their state provide equal protection for LGBTQ+ relationships.
If they reported the situation only to be denied care, they would be worse off than before.
This is one of the most common reasons that LGBTQ+ people do not report domestic violence.
Fear of Social Impact
LGBTQ+ communities can be small and tight-knit.
This added stress may seem insurmountable or too risky to kick off the door to.
Unfortunately, this can lead victims to be quiet about the abuse, putting their personal safety at risk.
Find Resources
You have many legal rights as a victim of abuse.
This is done through your local court.
Look up what the process is for the city you live in, and follow the instructions provided.
There are many resources available that will provide the mental and physical care that you deserve.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Intimate Partner Violence in the United States 2010.
Alejo K.Long-Term Physical and Mental Health Effects of Domestic Violence.Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science.2014.
