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No Sugar, No Spice: Reflections on Research on Woman-to-Woman Sexual Violence

NCJ Number
198036
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 8 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2002 Pages: 1500-1520
Author(s)
Lori B. Girshick
Editor(s)
Claire M. Renzetti
Date Published
December 2002
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the main issues raised by woman-to-woman sexual violence.
Abstract
The four primary challenges in the issue of woman-to-woman violence are: (1) admitting that sexual violence by women occurs; (2) the difficulty of changing laws to reflect the seriousness of woman-to-woman sexual abuse; (3) improving agency services for lesbian and bisexual survivors of sexual abuse; and, (4) compelling the anti-violence movement to take this issue seriously. These issues are discussed in detail in this article. The article also includes a discussion of the major challenge to changing laws, the heterosexist understanding of sexual assault and battering which reflects traditional notions of who is a perpetrator (male) and who is a victim, (female). Challenges to services are addressed, including finding funding from the community and/or government, and how rape crisis centers can address the issue of woman-to-woman sexual violence in a substantive way. Challenges to the movement to end violence against women are discussed and include addressing the causes and responses to victimization of women oppressed by race, class, age, ability, and sexual orientation. A re-evaluation of the feminist analysis of this issue is recommended, making woman-to-woman violence as fully understood as is male violence against women. In conclusion, the author recommends a dialogue between all the rape crisis centers and domestic violence agencies across the Nation to discuss, understand, and analyze woman-to-woman violence, including examination of the possibility of personal homophobia by staff. Staff and advocate training is recommended as the primary way to work to end violence against women. Notes, references