Dyadic, Partner and Social Network Influences on Intimate Partner Violence among Male-Male Couples in Atlanta, GA

Kimi N. Sato, Emory University

Despite a recent focus on intimate partner violence (IPV) among men who have sex with men (MSM), the male-male couple is largely absent from the IPV literature. Specifically, research on dyadic factors shaping IPV in male-male couples is lacking. A subsample of 403 gay/bisexual men with main partners was taken from a 2011 survey of gay and bisexual men from Atlanta. Models looked at dyadic factors, including racial differences, age differences, and social network characteristics of couples. Findings indicate that men were more likely to report perpetration of physical violence if they were a different race to their main partner, whereas main partner age was associated with decreased reporting of physical violence. The results point to several unique factors shaping the reporting of IPV within male-male couples and highlight the need for intervention efforts that focus on male couples, a group largely absent from both research and prevention efforts.