Health

US: Gay rights group releases huge study of LGBT youth

Oct 03 2012
Written by Scott Roberts

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has surveyed over 10,000 LGBT youth aged between 10 and 13 in the largest known sample of its kind in the US.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and data collected from the gay rights organisation from earlier this summer showed that a majority of LGBT middle school students reported being isolated by their peers and verbally harassed, while around 30% said they had been physically assaulted.

More than 90% of LGBT students said they had heard negative comments about homosexuality both on-campus and online.

About a quarter of respondents also said that feeling excluded by their loved ones; being ‘out’ in general; and bullying were among their biggest problems in life.

Queerty reports in response to the research, Jack Dreshcer, MD of the American Psychiatric Association and New York Medical College, said:

“The HRC survey’s findings present a significant challenge to families, educators, clergy, mental health professionals, policy makers and government officials concerned about the well-being of LGBT youth.”

HRC said in a statement: “Wherever youth live, work, play or study – they deserve to be not only be free from bullying, but to be valued respected members of their communities”.

Research published last month in Israel showed high rates of suicide among the country’s LGBT youth.

According to a study of 1,134 teens, 20% of gay youngsters surveyed had undertaken suicide attempts – 112 times the rate of the general Israeli population.