The GLBTRT has been reviewing books and movies in its newsletter since the early 1990s. Trace the evolution of queer publishing through these historic reviews. This review was originally published in Vol. 4, No. 2, Summer 1992.
This groundbreaking book co-authored by David Island and Patrick Letellier uncovers the secret world of gay domestic violence. Island is a San Francisco legal and communications consultant and Letellier a former victim of an abusive partner. Both are activists in gay domestic violence prevention.
Once every 90 seconds a gay man coupled with a violent partner is abused in the U.S.; approximately 500,000 men a year suffer such abuse. With the paucity of reliable statistics, this may be only the tip of the iceberg, Island and Letellier state.
Gay domestic violence has been widely hidden by the male homosexual community, and has been ignored by society at large. Research is very minimal, and myths predominate. Community resources to deal with abused partners are non-existent with the exception of several major cities.
Key tenets expounded in the text are the theory of gay domestic violence, myths, recurrent abuse patterns, profiles of batterers and victims, escape from abusive situations, use of friends as helpers, the role of therapy, the psychology of violence, and abuse prevention.
Interspersed throughout the text are succinct accounts of Letellier’S personal experience with such abuse, including how he achieved freedom from the situation.
This is the first examining of the issue of gay domestic violence, and is an invaluable resource for those in the helping professions, victims of abuse, and the general public.
Reviewed by Michael A. Lutes
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
