Domestic violence occurs among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender couples at the same rate as the heterosexual community, but such incidents often go unreported. The LGBT victims suffer the same physical and emotional abuse as their heterosexual counterparts but when it comes to getting help, they face challenges including service providers who are not welcoming.
Two out of five gay and bisexual men report abuse, a rate comparable to rates reported among heterosexual women. Among lesbians, 78% report they have been in an abusive relationship. In the LGBT community, perpetrators emotionally abuse their victims by threatening to “out” them to family or employers. When one partner is HIV+, abuse may occur when one partner takes advantage of the other partner’s illness by threatening to “out” them, denying medical care, or manipulating their finances.