Sexual Agreements, Substance Use, Binge Drinking, and Bidirectional Physical Intimate Partner Violence Among Male Couples in the United States

Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at rates comparable to heterosexual women. Previous studies have identified that having a sexual agreement-an explicit agreement around sex permitted outside of the relationship-is associated with reductions in IPV. This article uses data from a sample of 967 partnered GBMSM to examine associations between individual use of substances and alcohol, discordant partner reports of sexual agreements, and the self-reporting of bidirectional IPV. Men who reported different sexual agreements than their partners and recently engaged in substance use or binge drinking had significantly increased odds of IPV. Dyadic interventions are necessary to assist couples in developing the communication skills to successfully navigate both their substance use and discussions around sexual agreements.