Lesbians' Descriptions of the Actions that Led to Their Arrests and Court-Orders to Antiviolence Intervention: Practice, Advocacy, and Research Considerations.

This article examines the experiences of 14 cisgender lesbians, most of whom are women of color, who have had contact with the criminal legal system (CLS) due to their use of force or alleged use of force in intimate partner violence and abuse (IPV/A) situations. Through thematic analysis of their self-reports collected during court-ordered antiviolence intervention (AVI) intake assessments, three exploratory themes emerged: aggressive use of force and intimate betrayal, self-defense and systems betrayal, and protection despite a partner’s false accusations. The study highlights how prevailing cisheteronormative and gendered frameworks in CLS responses and AVI programs often fail to address the complex, intersectional realities of lesbians’ IPV/A experiences, particularly for racially marginalized women. It calls for feminist social work practices, advocacy, and research that incorporate critical context, intersectionality, trauma-informed care, and community collaboration to better support lesbians navigating IPV/A and CLS involvement.