As a result, outreach efforts to provide resources and support to battered lesbians have been only partially successful. The literature on the battering of women in heterosexual relationships provides insight into the reasons for lesbians reluctance to recognize and report victimization. Our culture teaches women to be nonassertive and dependent. Battered women often blame themselves for the violence they suffer. They may also be financially dependent on the batterer. Both the criminal justice system and the health care system have often been unresponsive to women's needs. Lesbians face the additional issue of homophobia. Lesbians often find it easy to identify male victimization of women, but are much slower to recognize the victimization of women by other women. They may be tempted to hold victims responsible for the violence. Controversies within the shelter movement over lesbian issues also make lesbians reluctant to seek help. Lesbians need to recognize, expose, and deal with their potential for both violence and victimization.