Abstract
Little is known about the factors that facilitate the perpetration of sexual violence within the context of same-sex romantic relationships (sexual intimate partner violence perpetration [S-IPV]). The present study sought to identify the effects of external and internal minority stress and problematic drinking on perpetration of S-IPV within a dyadic framework. A community-based sample of 137 sexual and gender minority (SGM) couples (N = 274; 59 male assigned at birth and 78 female assigned at birth couples) completed self-report surveys about minority stressors, alcohol use, and S-IPV perpetration. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were conducted within an actor-partner interdependence framework. This approach accounted for both actor effects (e.g., how much one's S-IPV perpetration is predicted by their own risk factors) and partner effects (e.g., how much one's S-IPV perpetration is influenced by their partner's risk factors). Both Actor external minority stress and internal minority stress were positively associated with Actor S-IPV perpetration. Actor problematic drinking was not associated with Actor S-IPV perpetration; however, Partner problematic drinking was positively associated with Actor S-IPV perpetration. Observed effects were robust above the addition of other risk factors. This research innovatively extricates S-IPV perpetration from other forms of IPV and indicates that Actor minority stress and Partner problematic drinking increase S-IPV likelihood. Results serve as a starting point for development of etiological models to inform the design of culturally-informed interventions to reduce S-IPV among SGM couples.