Lesbian mothering in the context of intimate partner violence.
Twenty-four lesbian mothers (12 African American, 9 White, and 3 Latina) who had experienced physical abuse by a same-sex partner were interviewed. Three types of IPV were found: intimate terrorism, situational violence, and mutual violent control. Further, relationships between mothers/abusers, mothers/children, and abusers/children were examined. Regarding relationships with abusers, 71% of mothers reported lengthy sagas, 17% had worked it out, and 13% made a clean break from the abuser. Regarding relationships with their children, 48% of mothers hid the violence, 26% minimized it, and 26% openly communicated about the situation. Relationships between abusers and the mothers' children were found to be either co-parental (29%), playmate (21%), abusive (21%), or non-parental (21%). Correlations among relational and demographic variables were also examined.
Hardesty
Jennifer L
JL
Department of Human and Community Development, 263 Beview Hall, MC 180, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 908 South Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. Hardesty@uiuc.edu
Oswald
Ramona Faith
RF
Khaw
Lyndal
L
Fonseca
Carol
C
Chung
Grace H
GH
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology