Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Veterans By Sexual Orientation

Lesbian, bisexual, or questioning (LBQ)-identified women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at similar or higher rates than heterosexual women. Female Veterans also have a high risk for IPV. Although LBQ women are disproportionately represented in the military relative to the general population, IPV experiences relative to sexual orientation have not been examined. This study examined lifetime and past-year IPV experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms by sexual orientation. Results suggest that LBQ female Veterans were more likely to report IPV; however, sexual orientation was unrelated to IPV-related PTSD symptoms.