Substance use and domestic violence among urban gays, lesbians and bisexuals

Many research studies have identified the co-occurrence of substance use/abuse and domestic violence among heterosexual couples. The present study examined this phenomenon in a large urban sample (N = 1048) of lesbians and gay men attending community events. Nearly one-fourth reported physical domestic violence, and over one-third reported nonphysical domestic violence with a same-gender partner. Women were more likely to report physical domestic violence as well as some forms of nonphysical domestic violence. Further, differences in substance use among victims of domestic violence varied by gender and type of violence. These findings indicate that domestic violence in this population differs from heterosexual couples and further research is necessary to appropriately tailor services to meet their needs.