CDC releases data on interpersonal and sexual violence by sexual orientation

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the first set of prevalence data for the United States on intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual violence (SV), and stalking victimisation by sexual orientation for lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

The study found that lesbians and gay men reported IPV and SV over their lifetimes at levels equal to or higher than those of heterosexuals. The survey also found that bisexual women (61.1 percent) report a higher prevalence of rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner compared to both lesbian (43.8 percent) and heterosexual women (35 percent). Of the bisexual women who had experienced IPV, approximately 90 percent reported having only experienced violence perpetrated by male partners, while two-thirds of lesbians reported having only experienced IPV perpetrated by female partners.

The data presented in this report do not indicate whether violence occurs more often in same-sex or opposite sex couples. Rather, the data show the prevalence of lifetime victimisation of intimate partner violence, sexual violence and stalking of respondents who self-identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual at the time of the survey and describe violence perpetrated by both same-sex and opposite-sex partners. 

Read the full press release(CDC, 25/1/2013)

These findings are published in a special report based on data collected in the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS).

Read 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation

Find out more about NISVS

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