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