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Social groups that are a numerical minority or seen as socially deviant are less likely to be studied, and studying sensitive issues complicates the situation even more. Only recently has intimate partner violence (IPV) in the LGBTQ population gained attention, even though IPV has been considered a social problem since the 1970s. From a research perspective, this is problematic because the lack of inclusion of LGBTQ+ experiences means that the socially constructed concepts of gender are often seen as essentialist and taken for granted. This has impeded understanding of aggression and violence in general. From a social justice perspective, the lack of representation is problematic because it results in phenomena such as LGBTQ+ individuals being turned away from domestic violence shelters. Lack of LGBTQ+ representation in IPV research is not only bad science, but it is also endangering the lives and well-being of LGBTQ+ people.

Will the Real Sociologist Please Stand Up?

All research has the potential for bias, whether that be due to who funds it, or human error. However, social science research into marginalized populations is even more vulnerable; humans studying the behavior of other humans can get messy.

Social groups that are a numerical minority or seen as socially deviant are less likely to be studied, and studying sensitive issues complicates the situation even more.

Gender, Sexuality, and the Social Construction of Intimate Partner Violence

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