Domestic Violence In The LGBT Community

This literary writing will attempt to examine the impact of domestic violence (DV) in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community (LGBT) and demonstrate the plethora of disparities that impact this community in the DV arena. Domestic violence is statistically more prominent in a homosexual relationship than in a heterosexual (cisgender) relationship (White & Goldberg, 2006). Domestic violence is associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) (Dunne, 2014). The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV, n.d) states:
Two out of every five gay and bisexual men experience abusive partner relationships, comparable to two out of five heterosexual women who endure domestic violence; 50 percent of lesbian women have experienced or
Social control theory is based on the perception that relationship conflicts result from an individual’s need to obtain and maintain power and control over the relationship. Relationships, commitments, values, and beliefs encourage conformity [informal] (Ngo, Paternoster, Curran, and Mackenzie, (2011). Moral codes are internalized and individuals will be willing to restrain from deviant acts (Hirschi, 2002). It is the power of internal means of control, of one's conscious and awareness about what is right or wrong in hopes to decrease the likelihood that one will deviate from social norms. Social control theory stands in contrast to external means of control, in which individuals conform because an authority figure such as the state and/or country threatens sanctions should anyone disobey (Hirschi, 2002; Ngo et al, 2011). Futhermore, the concept of social control theory is complex because norms vary often across groups, times, and places. Basically, what one group may consider acceptable, another may consider deviant (Hirschi, 2002; Ngo et al.,
Government research indicates men and women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime (Dunne, 2014). Women are more likely to experience repeat victimization and serious injury (Braine, 2014). DV knows no boundaries of race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, income or class (Hatzenbuehler, 2015). In addition, everyone has a sexual orientation and a gender identity. Discrimination against anyone based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity is an issue that transcends the LGBT community and it affects everyone. However, the review is focused on the LGBT community. It will examine related literature on domestic violence, discrimination, health and legislation/human rights.
Domestic