Violent Betrayal: Partner Abuse in Lesbian Relationships by Claire M. Renzetti

Based on a study of violence in lesbian relationships, this comprehensive book derives from a common theme expressed by the subjects - the sense of having been betrayed, first by their lovers, and subsequently by the lesbian community which tended to deny the problem when the victims sought help.The central issues addressed are consequences for victims, batterers and the community as a whole, and what we can learn about domestic violence in general by studying violence in lesbian relationships. The research presented brings a fresh perspective to our understanding of domestic violence by examining the phenomenon of women as perpetrators of intimate violence against women, and it makes a clear distinction between battering and self defence.