Intimate Partner Violence in LGBTQ+ Relationships: Impacts on Mental and Physical Health

Intimate Partner Violence in LGBTQ+ Relationships: Impacts on Mental and Physical Health

Intimate partner violence has historically centered heterosexual cisgender couples, despite the prevalence of IPV within LGBTQ+ relationships. IPV can present in a myriad of ways including physical, emotional, economic, and sexual violence. In addition to those forms of violence, LGBTQ+ folks in relationships face unique forms of violence and control such as the threat of "outing" a partner to their community. LGBTQ+ individuals face barriers such as discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, and economic status when trying to access IPV services. These concurrent barriers exacerbate the impacts that IPV can have on mental and physical health. LGBTQ+ survivors of violence are more likely to experience PTSD, suicidality, and depression as well as physiological symptoms. Join us to learn more about this topic through an intersectional lens and gain tools for addressing the impacts of IPV in your own communities.