Understanding the relationship practices of abusive partners in same sex and/or trans relationships and their implications for theory and practice.

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In recent years in the UK there has been recognition that domestic violence takes place in same sex and/or trans 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. The principal investigator (PI) and co-investigator (Co-I) have both made key contributions towards the development of this knowledge in the UK, with the PI and Co-I having conducted in-depth qualitative research with victims/survivors of abuse in same-sex relationships within two different projects, and the PI also having co-conducted the first comprehensive national survey of domestic violence in same-sex relationships. However, despite this growing body of research, there has been no dedicated research on those who are the abusive partners in same sex and/or trans relationships, and consequently there has been little evidence available on which to base the development of services to address their behaviours. This research project aims to start this process by conducting a mixed method study to explore understandings about abusive and associated help-seeking behaviours by partners who are abusive in same sex and/or trans relationships; and the understandings of practitioners who might reasonably expect to work with them. The coalition government's Violence Against Women and Girls Action Plan (2011) makes clear that prevention, accountability and rehabilitation are core to eradicating violence against women and girls; and that though most victim/survivors of violence are heterosexual women and girls that domestic violence occurs within same sex relationships. This means that different methods need to be identified to provide appropriate responses to those who are abusive in same sex and/or trans relationships. In order to develop this aspect of the research we will draw on existing knowledge about heterosexual perpetrators in order to draw comparisons across gender and sexuality. In the first phase of the research, a quantitative survey will be undertaken which will be based on an existing, tested, and reliable survey tool co-designed by the PI. This will be amended to make it appropriate and targetted at those who have been abusive in same sex and/or trans relationships. Follow-up qualitative interviews will be conducted with volunteers recruited from the survey to explore more in-depth accounts of abusive relationships from the point of view of the partner who has used abusive behaviours. The focus in these interviews will be to identify how they make sense of their own behaviours and whether and how they seek help. In the second phase, focus groups and individual interviews will be conducted with relevant practitioners in order to seek their perspectives on the key findings from the first phase of the fieldwork and to explore their understandings of what services might be appropriate for perpetrators in same sex and/or trans relationships, and any barriers to offering such services. Respect, the national pracitioners association for those working with perpetrators of heterosexual domestic violence will be key here to facilitating recruitment of experienced practitioners who have worked with perpetrators of heterosexual domestic violence. However, other routes to recruitment will also be used, for example through the Nottingham Domestic Violence Forum, the North East LGBT Domestic Violence Forum and the national LGBT Domestic Violence Forum. Key outputs expected to result from this research are a knowledge base about abusive partners in same sex and/or trans relationships and their help-seeking and recommendations for practitioners who are working with and developing interventions for abusive partners in same-sex and/or trans relationships; and the development of a methodology for the complex and highly sensitive task of research perpetrators of domestic violence in same-sex and/or trans relationships.