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Over the past few decades, the causes of and intervention for intimate partner violence IPV have been approached and studied. Despite the myth that IPV is exclusively an issue in heterosexual relationships, many studies have revealed the existence of IPV among lesbian and gay couples, and its incidence is comparable to Turell, or higher than that among heterosexual couples Messinger, ; Kelley et al.
Such features are mainly related to identification and treatment of SSIPV in the community and to the need of taking into consideration the role of sexual minority stressors. Our findings show there is a lack of studies that address LGB individuals involved in IPV; this is mostly due to the silence that has historically existed around violence in the LGB community, a silence built on fears and myths that have obstructed a public discussion on the phenomenon. We identified the main themes discussed in the published studies that we have reviewed here.
The reviews lead us to the conclusion that it is essential to create a place where this subject can be freely discussed and approached, both by LGB and heterosexual people. Over the past few decades, intimate partner violence IPV has received increasing interest from mental health experts. According to the World Health Organization , IPV is related to any behavior between a couple that involves acts of physical and sexual violence, emotional and psychological abuse, and controlling behavior.
The consequences of IPV on mental health and general wellbeing have also been outlined in numerous studies Campbell, ; Anderson et al. Pierre, However, according to one of the most recent and representative study reports, almost one-third of sexual minority males and one-half of sexual minority women in the United States affirmed they were victims of physical or psychological abuse in a romantic relationship.
