- What is the difference between abuse, violence, mistreatment, or harassment?
- How can we explain violence between same-sex couples or violence from women towards men?
- What are the early signs that should put me on guard or make me stay away from that person?
- What should I do if I think I am being physically and psychologically abused?
- Does the system protect abused women? I'm worried about being left destitute, about losing custody of my children.
- How does gender-based violence, abuse, and mistreatment affect women's mental health?
- Can a woman who is going through or has gone through this situation recover emotionally?
- Is there any prevention training for women, to learn how to detect the signs?
- What are the protective factors against gender-based violence, with children and adolescents in mind?
- Is the lack of shared responsibility from one of the parents or guardians a risk factor for children?
- What can men do to prevent our daughters from suffering situations of violence and sexism?
- We know of a case of a woman who is being abused, and her children are being raised in an environment of violence. What can we do?
- Do sons and daughters reproduce patterns of gender-based violence in the future when they grow up in a home where this happens?
- How can we help a man who perpetrates gender-based violence to break out of this pattern of behavior?
- Why do women with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience more gender-based violence? We have difficulty interpreting the other person's intentions, and our condition is not taken into account in court (their nonverbal language doesn't match their account). What can we do?
- Could you provide a checklist to keep in mind for the proactive detection of gender-based violence? Professionals have 10 minutes to visit women in person during primary care consultations.
- What can health professionals, social workers, and teachers do to better train themselves in this field and be able to detect and prevent it?
How can we explain violence between same-sex couples or violence from women towards men?
Violence between same-sex partners or violence from women towards men is not considered gender-based violence because, by definition, gender-based violence is violence perpetrated by a man against a woman and stems from the historical power imbalance between the sexes. However, abuse also occurs within same-sex relationships.
Contextually, violence between same-sex couples is called intragender violence.
Although the origin of violence in homosexual couples is different, the symptoms are very similar to those of women victims of gender violence: "There is annulment, there may be physical abuse, economic control..."
However, it also has certain elements that are characteristic of couples that are part of the LGBTIQA+ community and therefore it is necessary to provide a response from specific and trained services to offer the appropriate care.
Currently, same-sex partner violence is classified in the Penal Code as domestic violence , where there is no discrimination based on sexual orientation. Therefore, legally speaking, same-sex partner violence falls within the legal framework of domestic violence, but it is important to highlight the nuances and underlying causes. We cannot fall into the trap of categorizing all forms of violence under the same lens, as doing so can obscure its unique characteristics and hinder our ability to intervene and prevent it.
In conclusion, we can affirm that all violence is based on an inequality of power, but while gender violence is caused by sexism, what has been called intragender violence is influenced by countless variables, from functional diversity, economic level, isolation from friends and family, lack of social support networks, foreign origin, or internalized LGBTphobia.
It exists, even if the escape routes for these victims are not visible or well-known. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that there ARE services and resources available if you are experiencing violence in a same-sex relationship. In Catalonia, this service is the Servei d'Atenció Integral per a persones LGTBIQA+ (Comprehensive Care Service for LGBTQIA+ People).
