Cross-National Comparison of Gay and Lesbian Domestic Violence

• NCJ Number: 196263
• Journal: Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2002 Pages: 231-257
• Author(s): Tod W. Burke; Michael L. Jordan; Stephen S. Owen
• Date Published: August 2002
• Length: 27 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This research examined the prevalence of same-sex domestic violence in the United States and Venezuela.

Abstract

Using snowball and convenience sampling, data were collected through a survey that yielded responses from 72 individuals in the United States and 37 from Venezuela. The survey consisted of 45 questions that measured demographics (race, gender, age); frequencies of victimization; attitudes toward domestic violence (whether respondents perceived domestic violence as "real" crime); and perceived biases and confidence in police and courts. For the purposes of this study, "domestic violence" was defined as "a means to control others through power, including physical and psychological threats (verbal and nonverbal) or injury (to the victim or to others), isolation, economic deprivation, heterosexist control, sexual assaults, vandalism (destruction of property), or any combination of methods." The findings support the hypotheses that same-sex domestic violence is prevalent in cross-cultural contexts and that the Venezuelan gay and lesbian population is less likely to favorably view law enforcement than U.S. respondents. These findings have four significant practical implications. First, same-sex domestic violence is a serious problem that merits further attention from both scholars and practitioners. Second, all forms of domestic violence must be taken seriously, from verbal humiliation to physical battery. Third, it is important for more information about the prevalent problem of same-sex domestic violence to be disseminated to the gay and lesbian population. Finally, it is important that police agencies in both Venezuela and the United States take measures to erase the barriers and prejudices that interfere with effective police interventions in same-sex domestic violence. Some means of achieving this include sensitivity training for police, academy and in-service training that pertains to same-sex domestic violence, the assignment of liaison officers to gay community groups, and active police recruiting from gay and lesbian populations. 8 tables and 54 references