Claimed increases in domestic violence during recent years may be due to this simply being more reported than it was in the past. More domestic violence being reported does not necessarily mean that there is more domestic violence occurring.
There has now been an uptick in the number of domestic violence incidents reported involving same-sex couples. Just as with all other domestic violence incidents, this again may simply be due to more accurate labeling of the phenomena.
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), and especially the Colorado chapter of this organization, has been attempting to take this issue on. According to this organization, the claimed increase in this violence has gone up by 22.2 percent in 2011. However, because of fewer resources for same-sex couples, it’s difficult to determine if these sorts of statistics are accurate.
Though domestic violence is always a concern, with so little information to go upon there exists also the possibility that information regarding each particular incident is distorted. In certain relationships, it may not always be clear as to which partner is the perpetrator of any alleged violence that might have occurred.
Because domestic violence is such an important subject, and because it does need to be taken seriously, we must do everything we can to insure that the handling of these matters is handled correctly. Like every other incident of domestic violence, this type of accusation can destroy one’s reputation in the community and can detrimentally affect an accused suspect’s ability to find a job or be able to live peacefully with their neighbors.
Attorneys will represent individuals accused to make certain that arrests and investigations concerning domestic violence were conducted in a proper manner, and that a fair trial (if thought to be necessary) is provided.
Source: Edge, “Colorado AVP Tackles High Rates of LGBT Partner Violence,” by Lindsay Miller, Oct. 24, 2012