Exploring abusive behaviours in lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender relationships

DOI

This collection comprises mixed-methods data from a study exploring the use of abusive behaviours by partners in same-sex, bisexual and/or transgender relationships and practitioners' accounts of and perspectives on developing suitable and inclusive interventions for, and responses to, perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse in same-sex, bisexual and/or transgender relationships. In recent years in the UK there has been recognition that domestic violence and abuse (DVA) takes place in same-sex, bisexual and/or transgender relationships and a parallel and emerging body of research which has begun to explore and develop understandings about how and why this occurs, and whether and how victim/survivors seek help. However, despite this growing literature, there has been no dedicated research on those who are the abusive partners in same-sex, bisexual and/or trans relationships, and consequently there has been little evidence to inform the development of services to address their behaviours. This study, which we have named the Coral Project, is the first UK study to collect data specifically about the perpetration of violent and abusive behaviours in lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGB and/or T) relationships. The aims of the Coral Project were to: explore similarities and differences across sexuality and gender of those who enact ‘abusive’ behaviours in LGB and/or T and heterosexual relationships; do this with those who have enacted ‘abusive’ behaviours as well as practitioners who provide interventions for predominantly heterosexual male perpetrators; explore what methods might work best to elicit data to address these aims; and share key findings with key stakeholders to develop best practice guidance for work with those who use ‘abusive’ behaviours in LGBT relationships. A mixed-methods approach was taken in order to gather both quantitative and qualitative data about the use of abusive behaviours in same-sex, bisexual and/or transgender relationships through a national online survey and follow-up in-depth interviews with volunteers from the survey, respectively. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups with practitioners were also conducted in order to elicit practitioners’ understandings of the use of abusive behaviours within LGB and/or T relationships and their views on the suitability of existing domestic violence perpetrator interventions (designed primarily for heterosexual men) for addressing the abusive behaviour of LGB and/or T individuals, as well as what to find out about the nature of any current provision for LGB and/or T perpetrators and barriers to developing LGB and/or T interventions.

This is a mixed-methods study involving a quantitative survey (n=872), individual interviews with selected survey respondents (n=36), interviews with practitioners involved in the design and delivery of services for domestic violence and abuse perpetrators (n=23), and focus groups with practitioners in a range of field including domestic violence services, LGBT support services, relationship support and counselling and education (n=8).

Identifier
DOI https://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-851303
Metadata Access https://datacatalogue.cessda.eu/oai-pmh/v0/oai?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_ddi25&identifier=bd2831facc6baad855d3199094b5f79dab496fc100490ba34c5561283d964c38
Provenance
Creator Donovan, C, University of Sunderland; Barnes, R, University of Leicester
Publisher UK Data Service
Publication Year 2015
Funding Reference Economic and Social Research Council
Rights Catherine Donovan, University of Sunderland. Rebecca Barnes, University of Leicester; Data to be embargoed for 12 months to allow time for further data analysis and publication of the research findings by the research team. After that point, the survey data, practitioner interviews and focus groups can be made available, but with the stipulation that users need to be registered with the UK Data Service, and the copyright holders need to approve each request. This is because of the sensitivity of the data and our ethical commitment to preventing the decontextualised citation of these data for purposes that were not consistent with the original aims and values of the research team. The 36 qualitative interviews with survey participants are not suitable for sharing because they include extremely detailed accounts of participants' intimate relationships and stories of experiencing or using abusive behaviours within these relationships. Many of the incidents and relationship dynamics recounted are very distinctive and impossible to anonymise without severely compromising the quality and usefulness of the data. Transcripts have been provided in a non-editable PDF format to protect the integrity of the data. For further information please contact Prof. Catherine Donovan at catherine.donovan@sunderland.ac.uk or Dr Rebecca Barnes at rb358@le.ac.uk
OpenAccess true
Representation
Resource Type Numeric; Text
Discipline Jurisprudence; Law; Social and Behavioural Sciences
Spatial Coverage UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland); United Kingdom