Family Violence and Substance Use: The Perceived Effects of Substance Use Within Gay Male Relationships

Abstract

The purpose of this research endeavor is to examine the life situations of gay men where domestic violence was present. The current article expands on previously published works by examining respondents’ perceptions of what role alcohol and other drug use plays in causing substance use-related domestic violence. Three different perceptions emerged from the data and are presented here. First, drugs and alcohol use was perceived to be causally related to the domestic violence our respondents endured. Second, our respondents believed substance abuse resulted from the violence—it was used as a coping mechanism. Finally, many respondents did not believe there was any association between substance abuse and violence. The need for further in-depth data related to the relationship between drugs, alcohol, and domestic violence is noted.