Almost one-third of gay and bisexual men reported being victims of verbal, physical or sexual abuse from an intimate partner, according to a study performed by two UIC researchers.
Over 800 diverse Chicago-area men participated in a survey that found 32.4 percent had experienced abuse in either a current or past same-sex relationship. These rates are comparable to the results of more prevalent studies of women in heterosexual relationships.
Few studies have examined abuse in same-sex relationships and "relationship abuse among gay and bisexual men has been largely overlooked," explained Eric Houston, a graduate psychology student and the study's lead author.
Houston and study co-author, David McKirnan, associate professor of psychology, worked with the Howard Brown Health Center to explore the relation between abuse and health problems. They found that men in abusive relationships more prevalently reported health problems such as hypertension, heart disease, obesity or smoking-related illnesses. These men more frequently showed symptoms of depression, use of drugs and alcohol and participating in unprotected sex.
Men in abusive relationships were also more likely to combine drugs with sex, and according to this study "the use of substances in conjunction with sex has been linked to transmission of HIV and various sexually transmitted diseases."
"This research is important because it suggests that for men in same-sex relationships, partner abuse may be a key factor in a variety of health problems, including sexually transmitted infections and HIV," explained Houston.
Study finds gay and bisexual men victims of abuse
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