Disclosure and Help Seeking Related to Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, Perpetration, and Bidirectional Abuse in a National Sample of Sexual Minority Men

Abstract

About one-third of sexual minority men (SMM) report intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization, and one-fourth report IPV perpetration, in their lifetime. IPV disclosure and help seeking are key processes of coping with or managing exposure to abuse. We surveyed 500 SMM residing across the United States who enrolled in project EROS (Empowering Relationships and Opportunities for Safety). In all, 201 participants reported any type of IPV in the past 6 months (including 109 who reported both victimization and perpetration); these men were then categorized as experiencing balanced bidirectional ( n = 53), predominantly victimization ( n = 113), and predominantly perpetration ( n = 35) IPV. In each of these groups, close to one-third (25.7%–34.5%) had disclosed their IPV experience and one-fifth (13.2%–20.0%) had sought help; however, within the perpetration group, none of the 16 participants who only reported perpetration (the other 19 reported some victimization) disclosed their IPV. Group sizes allowed us to examine correlates of IPV disclosure and help seeking among the bidirectional and victimization groups, from among demographic, psychosocial, relational, and IPV characteristics, using bivariate statistics and multiple logistic regression. Greater IPV victimization was positively correlated with disclosure in both groups, and it was the lone independent correlate in multiple regression analysis (in the victimization group). Greater IPV victimization was also a strong positive and independent correlate of help seeking in multiple regression analysis within the victimization group, as was greater partner assertiveness in conflict resolution. There were no independent correlates of disclosure and help seeking within the bidirectional group. These findings highlight the need for efforts to empower SMM to seek support and services when exposed to IPV, and to do so early in the occurrence of IPV.