Often, they have been raised in a culture that accepts domestic abuse and female subservience and they may be under the impression that United States laws and protective services don't apply to them. When a woman in this type of situation tries to leave, she is also faced with a language barrier, which can be an almost insurmountable hurdle. While the type and prevalence of reported abuse is the same as in heterosexual relationships, victims of same-sex battery receive fewer government and legal protections. Seven states define domestic violence as a heterosexual crime, leaving Gay and Lesbian victims with no legal recourse. As same-sex victims, they are denied services and protection at many of the 1500 shelters and safe houses across the country.
Domestic violence spills over into the workplace, too.
Abusers make repeated phone calls to the workplace, even calling the employer, demanding the victim quit. They make false allegations against the victim, forcing him or her to take time off to appear in court or report to social services. They have made death threats, and have even gone to the workplace to commit suicide in front of the victim. Women are beaten up on their way to interviews, stalked, have their writing arms repeatedly broken, find their cars vandalized, work clothes missing, and are abused as they are leaving for work.