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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 2001)
fabruaryZ2QQl ? ....... 0m®* HP ¥ Slowly, Lynn began to recognize she was in not only an abusive relationship but also a dan gerous one. As she kept attending the support group and listening to other survivors of domes tic violence, she started thinking more about her children and how the violence was chang ing them. She knew she had to get out. “What else would 1 tell my children?” she says. I What is Domestic Violence? D Keeping Quiet i f S adly, Lynns story isn’t uncommon. It is esti mated that sexual minority couples experi ence domestic violence in their intimate relationships at the same rate as their heterosex ual counterparts. Although fewer than a dozen academic stud ies have examined the epidemic of battering in the gay community, studies show a prevalence rate between 25 percent and 33 percent— com parable to the rates in heterosexual relation ships. Other studies point to the possibility that domestic violence is even more prevalent in same-sex households— some studies reporting more than 40 percent. Whatever the statistic, the prevalence of domestic violence in the gay community likely is vastly underreported. One study estimates 500,000 men are battered every year in the gay male community alone. The issue is thought to be among the most crucial health concerns for gay men, lagging only behind HIV/AIDS and substance abuse. Experts in the field maintain that insuffi cient public education is part of the problem. Domestic violence is barely on the radar screen in the culture at large and even less so in the gay community. Although news stories often focus on high- profile violent crimes in the gay community, like the Matthew Shepard murder in 1998, reports seldom tell the stories of the widespread domes tic violence that occurs. The widely held belief is that outsiders are exclusively responsible for violence in the gay community. Ignorance of the issue isn’t the only reason the violence is underreported. Studies show gays and lesbians are less likely to report abuse because of unsympathetic police officers and out-of-touch social service providers. “Why report the violence if nobody is going to believe me?” some ask themselves. That reluctance and a lack of general understanding make domestic violence in the gay community a complicated problem to combat. To encourage reporting, the Portland Police Bureau, like other large U.S. cities, includes some information about same-sex domestic violence in training its officers. The bureau Auto, Home, Life & Business “Your Independent Insurance Agency” E P B & Elliott, Powell, Baden & Baker, Inc. One study estimates 500,000 men are battered every year in the gay male community alone. The issue is thought to be among the most crucial health concerns for gay m en , lagging only behind H IV /A ID S and substance abuse. also recently started training officers about issues in the trans community. Some domestic vio lence workers say Portland police are more sen sitive to the issue than officers in other cities. The bureau will begin tracking statistics about same-sex domestic violence cases after & M/1Y be * Yourr nP^ ner ,hreat^ s “o * Your m n l r t h S / Z 0' ^ h e S a rtfo rd ( 503 ) 227-1771 www.epbb.com_______ >or money “ ^ ,amily or ol^ s . * “PO - Your n * , * * your health. your "’«'‘cation or puts you £ sto io n sTh 't? in* Y°u- Your partner blames his or hor h k * 0ns hat jeoPar^ze Breaking Stereotypes S urprisingly, no socio-economic indicators can predict which couples are at risk for domestic violence. The stereotype that partners who come from abusive families are at risk of domestic violence doesn’t pan out. Domestic violence is everywhere. “It’s fasci nating to me that it runs the gamut that it does,” says Betty Ann Hale, a community activist in the area of domestic violence who does outreach to sexual minorities. Some don’t see domestic abuse in their own Continued, on Page 22 \Tftueet YjotLinas I A store for women who lore women U Grand Opening Sneak Preview Valentines Sale Featuring unique gifts for all occasions! Bring this ad in for Join us Friday Feb. 9th from 4:30-until? - for free wine „ T H a if . a ; Vour s partner s E wants S S - s s . ySu to nesrih?V°U 90 and «">* you do an extra 10% off our already low prices. A store within a store, we’re located inside of It’s My Pleasure 3106 NE 64th Marc Baker • Mary Miller Downtown Portland breaking in a new data tracking computer sys tem. It currently keeps statistics about same-sex domestic violence in broader categories. The bureau’s most recent annual statistics show that 343 men experienced domestic violence at the hands of other men; 465 women were victims of other women. omestic violence is not just about physical violence. Any pattern of behavior in which people seek to control the thoughts, beliefs or conduct of their partners also is considered domestic violence, according to experts. The abuse sometimes comes in a punitive form: physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse as a consequence for resisting that control. Bat terers sometimes take control of finances in an attempt to gain an upper hand in the relation ship. Others invade privacy by using their part ners’ Social Security number and other personal information to sabotage their credit rating or by calling employers, family or friends to make defamatory statements. All of the abuse is said to leave the victims feeling alone, isolated and afraid— usually con vinced the abuse is their fault or could have been avoided if they would have known what to say or do. Domestic violence also comes in another form unique to same-sex couples. Batterers threaten to “out” their partners at work, to friends or to family. They use their own inter nalized homophobia to abuse their partners, says Roper, sexual minority services coordinator at Portland’s Bradley-Angle House, which pro vides shelter, services and referrals for mostly female survivors of domestic violence. Lastly, there are the children in the house. Although kids are sometimes just observers of domestic violence and suffer quietly, they also can be used as pawns when batterers threaten to involve child protective services by making false claims of abuse that can result in lengthy inves tigations. Whatever form it takes, all domestic vio lence is considered unacceptable and harmful. “We don’t believe that there is a hierarchy of abuse,” Roper says. “Punching someone is the same as emotional abuse.” tasting & hors d’oeuvres and help celebrate this very special store's grand opening. Reg Store Hrs: Mon-Thurs 2-7pm/Fri-Sun 12-7pm (503) 890-2573 Orive with Pride SÀ :yy; D ignified P et S ervices Cremation A Memorials F or Your Companion <Jlo4Ai C an W e «Jle lp ,? 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