Lobel, K (Ed.). Naming the Violence: Speaking Out About Lesbian Battering. by Kerry Lobel, Seal Press: Seattle, WA, 1986. The Publishers Weekly on Amazon’s website says this: “From Publishers Weekly Sponsored by the Lesbian Task Force of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, this book is “by and for battered lesbians and those who work to support their empowerment.” Contributors note that the topic is especiallydifficult for lesbians because, as Barbara Hart, an activist lawyer, states in the preface, lesbian battering “contradicts our belief in the inherent nonviolence of women,” and publicity about it “may enhance the arsenal of homophobes.” Lobel alternates personal histories with commentary by counselors, activists and others who offer advice on how to treat victims and how to deal with the problem generally. (They note the many parallels to man-woman battering cases.) The victims’ stories are wrenching: one battered woman has become so suspicious that when she sees an adult and several girls flying kites in a park (while she writes her contribution to this volume), she remarks only, “I hope that their relationship is as loving and playful as it looks.” This collection constitutes a challenge to lesbians who abuse their lovers and to those who tolerate such abuse.”
