Perceptions of Domestic Abuse in Same-Sex Relationships and Implications for Criminal Justice and Mental Health Responses

• Published in: Violence and victims 2003-12, Vol.18 (6), p.659-669
• Main Authors: Poorman, Paula B., Seelau, Eric P., Seelau, Sheila M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Counseling; Criminal Justice; Criminal Law; Domestic Violence - statistics & numerical data; Female; Homosexual Relationships; Homosexuality, Female; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Marriage and Family Counselling; Mental Health Services; Opposite Sex Relations; Partner Abuse; Policy, Social Justice, and Human Rights; Psychology; Social and Personality Psychology; Social Perception; Social Work; United States
• ISSN: 0886-6708; 1945-7073
• DOI: 10.1891/vivi.2003.18.6.659

Male and female university students (N = 171) read scenarios describing a domestic abuse incident that systematically varied the sex of victim and perpetrator to produce four between-participants conditions. Results were consistent with and extended previous findings about perceptions of heterosexual domestic abuse to include gay and lesbian domestic abuse. Findings suggest that participant perceptions of abuse in same-sex and heterosexual relationships are similar. Where they differ, the differences have significant implications: (a) participants considered male against female abuse to be more serious than same-sex domestic abuse, (b) participants were more likely to recommend that the victim press charges in male against female abuse than in same-sex domestic abuse, (c) participants perceived same-sex victims to be less believable than heterosexual victims, and (d) victim believability was correlated with sentencing recommendations. Implications for criminal justice and mental health intervention are considered. Directions for future research are outlined.