“On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men(CDC, 2011).”1
Men and women both experience interpersonal violence (IPV) and whether it is a nuclear family structure or not, that does not limit people in same-sex family structures from experiencing IPV as well. Some may think of IPV in terms of men being the symbolic Stanley Kowalski in a Tennessee Williams play “A Street Car Named Desire” 2 but women can also be Stanley in a same-sex or heterosexual relationship and same for men. Stella’s and Blanches has historically been targeted and oppressed by Stanleys not all Stanleys are Kowalskis and not all Stellas are either. Power dynamics and control are exploited with vulnerabilities that are relational typically rather than random.
Whatever relationship structure you have it is important to know that either partner could play a role in committing domestic violence. Behaviors that mimic qualities of Kowalski’s are violent verbal outbursts, breaking things to showcase power, damaging personal belongings, physical violence such as slapping, punching and choking.
If all the world was a stage, then just know that casting is nontraditional or traditional depending on the play.
Reference
1. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs_report2010-a.pdf
2. Williams, T., & Miller, A. (2004). A streetcar named desire. New York: New Directions.