Los Angeles, CA–“According to Dr. Donald Dutton, author of Rethinking Domestic Violence, research shows that domestic violence is actually more common in lesbian relationships than in heterosexual relationships.
“For example, one study of 1,100 lesbian or bisexual women who are in abusive lesbian relationships found that the women were more likely to have experienced violence in their previous relationships with women than in their previous relationships with men.”
First the story, then a few comments. From Lindsay Lohan And Sam Ronson Fight, Get Couples Counseling (Huffington Post, 11/21/08):
THE most talked-about twosome in Hollywood are talking with a couples counselor to resolve their escalating problems, an insider told Page Six.
Lindsay Lohan (above, in black) and Samantha Ronson (above, in red) “are fighting like cats and dogs,” according to our source. “They fight every day, screaming, crying and yelling at each other.
“Sam and Lindsay are still very much together and very much in love, but drama just seems to follow Lindsay, and Sam hates it. She deals with Lindsay every day. And every day for Sam means questioning, ‘Is this worth it?’ ”
Page Six spies saw Lohan and Ronson get into a spat outside of Citrine on West 21st Street recently, and the London Sun published details of a explosive argument this week outside Boujis in London, where Ronson was deejaying.
The paper reported “all hell broke loose” and the screaming match ended with Lohan “in tears.”
The wild child sank down in tears following the 4am bust-up with DJ girlfriend Samantha Ronson.
It’s not mentioned in the story’s headline nor in its lead five paragraphs, but it turns out that what is portrayed as a lover’s “spat” is actually a case of domestic violence. The story continues:
The pair had come to blows in a trendy London nightspot after Sam spotted Lindsay dancing with her ex Calum Best.
Witnesses say the DJ flew at the actress “throwing punches” on the dancefloor at Boujis…and playboy Calum, 27, had to tear them apart.
And as they were leaving the club Lindsay hit back at her lover “screaming and spitting” as the pair had to be pulled apart once again.
Another paper reported “Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson had their second major spat in a week.”
The two lesbian lovers are abusing each other and “throwing punches” and the only man involved–Calum Best–is the one who breaks it up. Tell me, if Lohan was getting punched by her boyfriend as opposed to her girlfriend, would it be labeled a “fight”? Would it be seen as a cute lover’s “spat”?
For another recent example of the media not calling lesbian domestic violence “domestic violence,” see Wife Stabbed 222 Times by Spouse, but Media Doesn’t Call It ‘Domestic Violence’ Because…
[Late note: The citation for the study Dr. Dutton refers to is: “Lesbians in currently aggressive relationships: How frequently to they report aggressive past relationships?”, Lie, G., Schilit, R., Bush, J. Montague, M & Reyes, L’ (1991), Violence and Victims 6,2, 121- 135.]