Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Health
GLBT Youth Safety
Why do youth feel scared for their safety?
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Sometimes for good reasons. A study of over 8,000 Seattle high school students (9-12th grades) found that:
- One in ten had been threatened or injured by someone with a weapon at school in the past year.
- Nearly one in five had been in a physical fight at school in the past year.
- Nearly one in ten had been the target of offensive comments or attacks at school because someone thought they were gay.
Are GLB youth at even greater risk?
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Yes. The same study asked students their sexual orientation. (It didn't ask if a student was transgender, but trans youth may be at even greater risk.)
The study found that:
- GLB youth were almost twice as likely as heterosexual youth to have been threatened or injured by someone with a weapon at school in the past year.
- They were a little more likely than straight youth to have been in a fight at school, but three times as likely to have required treatment by a doctor or nurse afterwards. (Why? Some of these students were actually in fights - where both people fought -- and others may have been bashed and didn't fight back ? but still may have considered that a "fight." Studies have also shown that hate crimes tend to be more vicious than other attacks.).
- GLB students were nearly five times as likely as straight youth to have been attacked because someone thought they were gay (though many were probably not "out").
The problem is not only at school:
- GLB teens were nearly three times as likely as their straight classmates to say they had ever been forced into sexual intercourse. (Some students who said they had been forced may have been sexually abused, some may have experienced date rape and a few may have been raped by a stranger. GLBT youth may find themselves in riskier situations due to homelessness and fewer safe places to socialize.)
- Other studies have found that sexual minority teens are more likely to be physically assaulted at home than heterosexual teens. Family violence sometimes follows a young person's "coming out."
- Dating violence happens among same-sex couples, just as it happens in heterosexual relationships. Is it more common? There's no evidence that it is, but it is still a threat to GLBT youths' safety.
- Hate crimes committed against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals make up the third-highest category of hate crimes reported to the FBI.
What can you do if you are concerned about your safety?
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The first thing is to get safe. Then get help.
If you are badly hurt, call 911. If you can get a trusted friend or adult to be with you, you'll probably feel more secure, but your life and health are the most important thing.
- School: If the assault happened at school or your attacker goes to your school, think if there is an adult at home or at your school you can tell about it. If no one at school will help, contact the
Safe Schools Coalition
Email: intervention@SafeSchoolsCoalition.org
Outside Washington, contact GLSEN at glsen@glsen.org
- Home: If you were sexually or physically assaulted by a family member, think if there is an adult you can tell about it, or call 1-800-562-5624. Outside of Washington, call Childhelp, 800-4-A-Child.
- Partner/Lover: If you think your partner might be emotionally or physically abusive ask yourself these questions:
- Has your partner ever pushed, choked, hit or thrown things at you or threatened to hurt you?
- Has your partner ever threatened to "out" you to your family, your friends, your school, or your job?
- Has your partner ever left you someplace that wasn't safe or insisted you go somewhere unsafe?
- Has your partner ever tried to get you to break a family rule or said you were immature for caring what your family thinks?
- Has your partner ever made "jokes" or insulting remarks about people of your age, race, religion, family, disability or class?
- Has your partenr made disparaging remarks about GLBT people, as if he or she were not one?
- Has your partner ever put you down or told you to "shut up" in front of other people?
- Has your partner ever told you about "cheating on you" or accused you of "cheating" when you weren't?
- Has your partner ever insisted that you dress in a more "sexy" way or a less "sexy' way than you wanted?
- Has your partner ever gotten drunk or high and used it as an excuse for sex or to hurt you?
- Do you feel like it's easier to just go along with what your partner wants, rather than make your own decisions?
- Do you watch what you say so that your partner approves?
- Has your partner been "out" longer than you and feel entitled to tell you how to act as a GLBT person?
- Is there a big difference between your ages and life experience that makes you feel less capable than your partner?
If some of your answers are "yes," consider getting out of the relationship or getting help to make it a healthier one.
If you were attacked, remember, it is not your fault!
- If you were attacked "because" you were gay or lesbian - or somebody thought you were - it is their prejudice and hatred, not your sexuality, that caused the assault.
- If you were attacked when you were in a dangerous place (like a party with no adults, or a hitchhiking situation), it may be a good idea not to go there again, but that does not mean you are to blame. The offender is the only one to blame.
- If you are a guy and you think this kind of thing only happens to women, think again. Guys get beaten up and raped, too. Sometimes the offenders are male; sometimes, they are female. Either way, it does not mean you are any less a man.
- If you were attacked and decided not to fight back, that is not the same as consent. Not fighting back may have been the smart - or only - thing to do. It does not mean you "wanted" it and it does not make the attack your fault.
Local and national resources
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related sites
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City of Seattle's Domestic Violence Information Pages
 The mission of this agency is to guide the City's response to domestic violence by local government, creating a model prevention response.
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Call the Crisis Clinic
The Crisis Clinic provides immediate and confidential assistance, including information and linkage to community resources, for people in emotional distress and in need of help.
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