One in four gays has been beaten up
Monday February 02 2009
ONE in four homosexuals has been punched, kicked or beaten in violent homophobic attacks, a new report has found.
And almost one-fifth have tried to take their own lives -- with many saying this was related to their sexual identity.
The findings are contained in the most comprehensive study yet of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender mental health and well-being in Ireland.
More than 1,100 people took part in the online study, 'Supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Lives', which was commissioned by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) and will be launched in Dublin today by Health Minister Mary Harney.
The report identified a critical seven-year window between when a person first becomes aware of their sexual orientation, on average at 14; and when they 'come out' to friends and family, on average at age 21.
Of those surveyed, this period was particularly stressful, with those who self-harmed starting, on average, when they were 15, and those who attempted suicide starting, on average, when they were 17.
"During this seven-year period, people have concealed their identity and can be in hostile environments, for example school. This is a time when they haven't come out and are worried about attitudes," said Odhran Allen, director of mental health policy at GLEN.
"What's really encouraging is that the majority of respondents displayed very good mental health resilience. Negotiating how to come out can be a particularly stressful period, but when they came out they had much better experiences," said Mr Allen.
Many respondents had suffered "minority stress" over stigmatisation, harassment or social exclusion on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Bullying
Some 58pc said there was homophobic bullying at school, with over half saying they had been called abusive names and a quarter saying they had been physically threatened by other students.
Over a third said they had heard homophobic comments by teachers, while 8pc said they had been called names by them.
A third of homosexuals said they self-harmed over the stress of concealing their sexual orientation during their teenage years. Some 80pc of those surveyed said they had been verbally insulted, while 40pc had been threatened with physical violence. A quarter said they had been beaten in attacks.
The report makes recommendations for the education, health and youth sectors aimed at suicide prevention and mental health promotion.
- Breda Heffernan
