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Sexual Orientation Victimization and
Trauma: What You Need to Know
Immersed in a society that promotes
value systems and stereotypes that
appear to rationalize prejudice and
discrimination against them, lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgendered youth
report higher levels of victimization than
their heterosexual counterparts.
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“The average age of self-identification as an LGB person is 15”
(Dragowski, Halkitis, Grossman, & D’Augelli, 2011)
The Gay and lesbian Straight Education
Network survey 2003
39% of LGB students and 55% of transgendered
students were shove or pushed.
Transgendered youth were one-third more
likely to endure physical harassment than LGB
students.
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64% of LGBT students feel unsafe at school. In
most the most recent month, 29% missed one
or more days of school because they felt they
were in danger.
25-40% of homeless youth may identify as LGBTQ.
Parents or caregivers often throw them out of
their homes after they discover or are told of
their child’s sexual orientation.
“While many minority groups are the target for prejudice... and
discrimination... in our society, few persons face this hostility without the
support and acceptance of their family as do many gay, lesbian, and bisexual
youth”.
Virginia Uribe and Karen Harbeck
The Gay and lesbian Straight Education
Network survey 2003
33% of LGB students reported attempting
suicide in the previous year. 8% of
their heterosexual peers reported
attempting suicide.
84% of LGBT students were called
names or had their safety threatened
as a result of their sexual orientation
or gender expression.
45% of LGBT youth of color experienced
verbal harassment and/or physical
assault in response to perceived
sexual orientation and race.
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“If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me
otherwise”.
Johann von Goethe
“I'd rather be black than gay because when you're black you
don't have to tell your mother “ (Charles Pierce, 1980)
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LGBT youth are not only
vulnerable to the traumatic
events of all youth but also
have to contend with family
rejection, school harassment,
and physical, sexual, and/or
emotional abuse in response
to suspicion or declaration of
their emerging sexual
orientation and gender identity.
Gay , Lesbian, and Straight Education Network
(GLSEN)
22% of LGBT felt unsafe in school compared
to 7% of heterosexual students.
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Almost 90% of 7261 students surveyed by
GLSEN reported being verbally
harassed.
40% reported being physically harassed
because of their perceived sexual
orientation.
19% reported being physically assaulted.
6 out of 10 students felt unsafe at
school.
“No matter how far in or out of the closet you are, you still
have a next step”.
Author Unknown
Many LGBT youth never self
identify or disclose their struggles
related to gender expression, which
presents a significant obstacle in
counseling/therapy.
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Counselors are cautioned to not
expect or inadvertently pressure
youth to “come out”.
An ill-advised disclosure could put
the youth in a vulnerable position
(needing to maintain control).
Gender Expression,
Victimization, and PTSD Among
LGB Youth
66% of females were called tomboys
while they were growing up.
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58% of males were called sissies.
Males received significantly more
negative responses to their gender
atypicality from parents.
30% of the sample reported discouragement from parents; 53% were told to
change their behavior, 12% were punished, and 8% were sent to counseling
(D’Augelli, Grossman & Starks, 2006).
Sexual Orientation Victimization
(D’Augelli, Grossman & Starks, 2006)
78% reported verbal SOV.
11% reported physical SOV.
9% reported sexual SOV.
Males reported more SOV than females in all three categories.
73% reported that the first SOV experience occurred in school,
13% in public setting, and 10% at home.
“ My mom was screaming at me, calling me a ‘fucking faggot’ and ‘cocksucker’,
I cried and cried”(10 yr old boy).
“ Mom ‘went off’ on me calling me a dyke” (17 yr old girl).
“ A 50 year old man, a religious fanatic, called me evil, and said that me and my girlfriend were
‘nasty’, and called our relationship an abomination” (18 yr old female).
Sexual Orientation Victimization
(D’Augelli, Grossman & Starks, 2006)
Gender expression and SOV have a direct correlation and mental health
indicators.
Children who exhibit gender atypicality are significantly more likely to
experience verbal and physical SOV than LGB youth who are
gender typical.
Both genders scored higher on the Brief Symptom Inventory and the
Trauma Symptom Checklist.
9% of LGB met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD (15% of females, 4%
were males).
“The impact of early experiences of difference, labeling,
criticism by others, and victimization can be seen in the current
mental health findings, especially trauma symptoms”
(D’Augelli, Grossman & Starks, 2006).
Considerations for Treatment with LGBT
Youth
1. Use inclusive language. Most of our language assumes
heterosexuality.
2. Recognize that there is a difference between ‘same-sex
sexual encounters” and being gay or lesbian.
3. Connect youth with support groups or student
organizations that allow them to interact with other LGBT
Youth.
4. Learn about the stages of sexual identity development.
5. Remember that counseling intervention has been
successful whenever an adolescent is willing to be
vulnerable and process challenging material. Providing a
safe space may very well be a vehicle to reducing risk of
future trauma.
References
D’Augelli, A.R., Grossman, A.H., & Starks, M.T. (2006). Childhood gender atypicality,
victimization and PTSD among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Journal of Interpersonal
Violence, 21(11), 1462-1482.
Dragowski, E.A., Halkitis, P.N., Grossman, A.H., & D’Augelli, A.R. (2011). Sexual orientation
victimization and posttraumatic stress symptoms among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth.
Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 23, 226-249.
Heidt, J.M., Marx, B.P., &Gold, S.D. (2005). Sexual revictimization among sexual minorities: A
preliminary study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18(5). 533-540.
Killem-Harvey, A & Stern-Ellis, H. (2006). Culture and trauma brief: Trauma among lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 1
(2).
Resources
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Center on Halsted (LGBT community center in Chicago): www.thecenteronhalsted.org.
Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network: www.GLSEN.org
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: www.thetaskforce.org
Project VIDA, Inc. (Serving the LGBT African American and Latino/a community in
Chicago): www.projectvida.org
The Alliance: Illinois Safe Schools: http://www.illinoissafeschools.org/