Bullying of LGBT youth is a growing problem that threatens mental health
Today is International Day against Bullying, which is growing this year despite the fact that most parents do not believe their children are capable of mistreating another minor. According to a report by the UNESCO, 54% of LGBTIQ people have experienced bullying at least once because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or variations of sexual characteristics, according to a survey of more than 17.000 children and young people between the ages of 13 and 24. The survey also showed that 83% of students had heard negative comments towards students at least sometimes LGBTIQ +, and 67% had been subject to negative comments at least once.
Interventions by teachers and other school staff when hearing negative comments and bullying are vital to an inclusive education system. However, many teachers lack the confidence and knowledge to support learners. LGBTIQ +. The majority of students (58%) never reported incidents of bullying to any school staff member and less than 15% of respondents consistently reported their bullying experiences to any school staff member.
State of LGBTI+ Education Report 2024
One in four young people from the LGBT community, aged between 18 and 24, has been the victim of hate crimes during their school years. In addition, in almost seven out of ten cases, 64%, the educational centre where they studied did not take any action. These data come from the State of LGBTI+ Education Report 2024, prepared by the LGTBI+ State Federation.
The study is based on 800 online interviews conducted by the 40db agency with people over 18 years of age, resident in Spain and belonging to the LGTBI+ community.
The report also shows that the most frequent act of hate is harassment (14,75%) followed by discrimination (13,75%), physical violence (7,4%) and ciberbullying (7,25%). As for educational levels, hate acts are concentrated in the Compulsory Secondary Education stage, most of them in the third and fourth year of ESO (16,13%).
Impact of Bullying on Mental Health
An ANAR reveals that 92% of LGBT students who have experienced bullying report symptoms of anxiety, depression or stress, while 35% of them consider that bullying has had a direct impact on their academic performance. In many cases, fear and isolation prevent them from reaching their full potential, not only academically, but also in their emotional and social development.
La FELGTBI+ highlights the growing incidence of mental health disorders among LGBT youth. 65% of students surveyed in the FELGTBI+ report say they have experienced suicidal thoughts as a result of bullying, an alarming fact that underlines the seriousness of the situation. Suicide rates among LGBTI youth are significantly higher compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers, highlighting the urgent need to create safe school environments.
