Gaps in Science and Evidence-Based Interventions to Respond to Intimate Partner Violence Among Black Gay and Bisexual Men in the US: A Call for an Intersectional Social Justice Approach

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a prevalent but under recognized issue among sexual minorities broadly, but especially among Black Gay and Bisexual Men (BGBM). Over the last several years, acts of IPV among BGBM made national news, drawing attention to the unique ways that IPV plays out within this particular population. Yet, little research has examined the intersections between race and sexuality among BGBM, the lack of culturally responsive IPV services, their support needs, or the barriers that BGBM face when seeking IPV related services. When examined closely, the field of IPV has traditionally focused on cisgender heterosexual white women as victims and cisgender white men as perpetrators, which has historically impacted the availability and quality of IPV services for other populations. This narrative critique of the IPV movement calls for an intersectional social justice and health equity approach to address the unique and intersectional needs of BGBM who experience IPV. By centering the intersectional needs of BGBM and the role that racism, homophobia, and heteronormativeness has played in shaping IPV-related services, this article challenges the IPV field to advance a social justice orientation in order to address the unmet needs of BGBM who experience IPV.