Report Overview & Objectives

• Study: Comparing Domestic Abuse in Same Sex and Heterosexual Relationships (Donovan et al., Nov 2006).

• Goal: First UK research to directly compare domestic abuse across same-sex and heterosexual relationships and analyze help-seeking behaviors.

Methodology

• UK-Wide Survey: 746 usable responses from people in same-sex relationships.

• Qualitative Data: 5 focus groups (21 participants) and 67 in-depth interviews across sexualities.

Key Findings

• Prevalence: 38.4% explicitly self-identified as having experienced same-sex domestic abuse. However, actual experienced behaviors were higher: 77.8% emotional, 40.1% physical, and 40.5% sexual abuse.

• High-Risk Group: Rates of abuse were highest among respondents under 25, matching patterns in heterosexual data.

• Gender Dynamics:

  • Men reported more financial control, physical threats, and significantly higher rates of sexual abuse.

  • Women reported threats involving their children, threats regarding self-harm, or weaponizing their sexuality.

• Help-Seeking: 22.2% sought no help. Most relied on friends (57.9%) or counselors/therapists (32.6%), while only 9.0% involved the police—far lower police utilization than heterosexual victims in national crime surveys.

• Perceptions: 69% viewed same-sex domestic abuse as fundamentally similar to heterosexual abuse, but noted it remains far more hidden with fewer dedicated support services.