Recognizing Violence Within Homosexual Relationships Essay

Domestic violence in relationships and marriages has been a long-standing problem in American society. A lot of people have not realized that it is not just a problem for heterosexual couples. Domestic violence in lesbian, gay, and bisexual relationships is just as prevalent. Lori B. Girshick, a Professor of sociology and womens studies at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, states that we live in a society where sexual violence is defined only in terms of male penetration and intercourse(Griffin). If this is true then it is easy to see why our society has difficulty understanding the problem with the atypical types of relationship abuse. We must also consider the issue of prevalence. Though statistical research is still†¦show more content†¦In 1998 reported cases were 44 percent between the ages of 30-44, 21 percent were 23-29, 12 percent were 45-64, and five percent were either under age 22 or over age 65 (Garbo). Based on this it appears that no one in the gay com munity is safe from the threat of domestic violence. Since this seems to be such a significant problem then it seems strange that we dont hear more about it on the news or in our own communities. There is a great deal of speculation as to why these cases go unreported. According to an article in the July 14, 1995 edition of the online Jewish Bulletin of Northern California the gay community resists confronting abuse among its own members. They already face so many problems such as HIV and discrimination that publicizing the abuse would be like airing dirty laundry. (Lank) Another important reason these situations are not being reported is due to fear of the police and the courts. One example of this involved an employee of the New York City Housing Authority, Kathy Muniz who says her reports were not taken seriously. She says she was told by police that tomorrow she and her partner would Kiss and make up. She eventually got a restraining order against her partner (Leland). It is i mportant to consider the reasons that police may have difficulty dealing with the cases. It can be difficult for them to know who is the aggressor and who is the victim. Executive Director Connie Burk ofShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of Heterosexuality As A Principal Method Of Organizing Institutions And Regulating Individual Behavior Essay1777 Words   |  8 Pagesvalues relationships that are between men and women; as a result, sexual contact occurring between same sex individuals is seen as deviant and labeled as homosexual. In her book, Ward explains how straight white men can have sex with other white men while retaining their heterosexuality in addition to gaining a masculine appeal. 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