Dr. Lisa Waldner, professor of sociology and Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Student Achievement, has authored a chapter "Gay and Lesbian Families and Violence" published in Violence in Families: Integrating Research into Practice by Springer. The chapter discusses barriers to research on same-sex intimate partner violence and reviews research findings on prevalence and correlates.
The chapter abstract states:
Compared to what we know about heterosexual couples, violence in queer families and relationships is an underresearched area with little theory development. Prevalence rates fluctuate depending on measurement and time frame but there seems to be agreement that sexual minorities experience greater risk of violence than others, with bisexual and transgendered persons having the highest risk. Correlates, including relationship dynamics, are poorly understood and there are several barriers to research including myths that inhibit recognition of queer family violence as a public health crisis and methodological challenges stemming from dealing with stigmatized and marginalized populations. Directions for future research are considered.
