Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Abuse among LGBT People: A Review of Existing Research

This report provides an overview of existing research on intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual abuse (IPSA) among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and makes recommendations for future research. The researchers reviewed 42 studies, from 1989 to the present, that include findings on the prevalence of IPV and IPSA, survivors’ barriers to seeking help, and the quality of available assistance for LGBT people. Most studies reviewed for this report found a lifetime prevalence of IPV among lesbian and bisexual women, gay and bisexual men, and transgender people that is as high as or higher than the U.S. general population.