The fight against domestic violence is increasingly effective. But one problem is still little known: they are particularly important in same-sex couples.
In France, one in ten women say they are the victim of domestic violence. A sad reality, which is still underestimated, because many of them will never file a complaint. However, if we are increasingly interested in this phenomenon, domestic violence within homosexual couples remains taboo.
Fear of stigma
Yet a study from Northwestern University in the United States shows that 25% to 75% of same-sex couples are affected by some form of domestic violence. Violence is as much or more present in homosexual couples than in heterosexual couples.
Problem: the exact figures remain vague, because a large majority of victims give up, even more than heterosexual women, to let it be known. According to Prof. Richard Carrol, who coordinates the study, homosexuals would be afraid of experiencing additional stigma if they came to denounce their partners. Being part of a sexual minority would make you more reluctant to talk about violence, and in particular violence within your couple.
People who are victims of a same-sex partner feel less confident when it comes to going to the police, fearing that they will be discriminated against again. In addition, some people refuse to publicly reveal their sexual orientation.
Towards better support
However, the study by Richar Carrol and his team shows that things are starting to change, as discrimination against homosexuals diminishes. Thus, the proportion of homosexual victims who agree to meet with a psychologist or a psychiatrist to discuss these problems of domestic violence has increased significantly in recent years.
The researchers still recommend better training of medical personnel who support these victims. Nothing very complicated: they should especially be encouraged to support and advise homosexual people, in exactly the same way as heterosexual people.
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