Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106779

Anna E. Le Mon, MPH, MSW, Columbia University, School of Social Work, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 529 W. 111th St. #46, New York, NY 10025, 917-685-7572, ael2013@columbia.edu

This health initiative consists of a curriculum for a support and education group for female survivors of same-sex intimate partner violence. An array of general services is available in New York City for female victims of domestic violence, yet few for female victims of same-sex intimate partner violence. Specifically, no support groups designed especially for this population have been identified to date, indicating a serious gap in services to a potentially sizable and certainly marginalized population. In same-sex intimate relationships, several factors complicate the problem: relatively little research on the subject, victims' risk of being ‘outed' by their partner, risk of negative responses from law enforcement personnel, and cool reception or outright rejection from shelter staff. The sense of isolation and invisibility a victim often feels is compounded when s/he is a member of a sexual minority, and without a community-wide sense of cohesion or willingness to engage in a discourse, victims may exhibit a lower propensity to report abusive behavior as such, in turn thwarting them from seeking and receiving help. The described curriculum uses an eclectic approach, drawing upon a variety of perspectives, approaches, and models to address these myriad issues. These approaches primarily include the ecological perspective, Social Cognitive Theory, empowerment and strengths-based approaches, multicultural models, and feminist postmodern theory. Pilot project results and directions for future programs are discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to

• Define the problem and identify weaknesses in existing services for female survivors of same-sex intimate partner violence.
• Explore the relevance of the following theoretical models and approaches to the unmet need
  ecological perspective, Social Cognitive Theory, empowerment and strengths-based approaches, multicultural models, and feminist postmodern theory.
  • Evaluate the success of using these approaches for “Inward and Out-Word,” a pilot program in Brooklyn, New York.

  Keywords: Battered Women, Lesbian Health

  Presenting author's disclosure statement:
  

  I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

  Recorded presentation

  LGBT Populations & Domestic Violence

  The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA