Domestic Violence - Gay & Lesbian Partner Abuse

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) populations are subject to marginalization and devaluation in our society. To a large extent, the GLBT population is underserved by social service and policy responses and for homosexual persons victimized by a same-sex intimate partner. Public Safety professionals should know and understand GLBT relationships fall within the category of intimate partnerships/domestic violence. As much as GLBT relationships constitute nontraditional families they now often have legal status and legal protection although that may vary a lot from one state to another. Three states allow same-sex marriage and nine states allow either civil unions or domestic abuse partnerships. Forty states have statutes banning gay marriage and 27 states have constitutional prohibitions. It is because of this questionable legal status of GLBT partnerships that remedies for abuse are in constant states of flux and why it is im,portant that Public Safety personnel reserach their state and stay abreast of changes in their own state laws. 

This program is a Public Service of the American Public Safety Training Institute found at www.tapsti.org.