scholarly journals Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Hate Crimes and Suicidality Among a Population-Based Sample of Sexual-Minority Adolescents in Boston

2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin T. Duncan ◽  
Mark L. Hatzenbuehler
2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Irish ◽  
F Solmi ◽  
B Mars ◽  
M King ◽  
G Lewis ◽  
...  

Abstract Background There are few population-based cohort studies of the emergence, development, and persistence of mental health problems in sexual minorities compared with heterosexuals. We compared trajectories of depressive symptoms in sexual-minority adolescents and heterosexual adolescents from when they were aged 10 to 21 years, and examined self-harm at ages 16 and 21 years. Methods The study included 4828 adolescents born between April 1, 1991, and Dec 31, 1992, from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort (Bristol, UK) who reported their sexual orientation when aged 16 years. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire at seven timepoints between ages 10 and 21 years. A self-harm questionnaire was completed at ages 16 and 21 years. Analyses were linear multilevel models with growth curves (depressive symptoms), logistic multilevel models (self-harm in the previous year at ages 16 and 21 years), and multinomial regression (lifetime self-harm with and without suicidal intent at age 21 years). Findings At age 10, depressive symptoms were higher in sexual minorities than in heterosexuals and increased with age to a larger extent. Depressive symptoms increased at each timepoint by 0·31 points in hetereosexuals, and by 0·49 points in sexual minorities. Sexual-minority adolescents were more likely than heterosexual adolescents to report self-harm in the previous year at ages 16 and 21 years, with no evidence that this estimate decreased with age. At aged 21, sexual minorities were more likely to report lifetime self-harm (ie, on at least one previous occasion) with suicidal intent than heterosexuals. Interpretation Mental health disparities between heterosexuals and sexual minorities are present early in adolescence and increase throughout the school years, persisting to young adulthood. Prevention of these mental health problems and early intervention must be a priority.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 663-675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark L. Hatzenbuehler ◽  
Dustin Duncan ◽  
Renee Johnson

The goal of this study was to evaluate a novel measure of environmental risk factors for bullying among sexual minority youths. Data on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) assault hate crimes were obtained from police records, geocoded, and then linked to individual-level data on bullying and sexual orientation from the 2008 Boston Youth Survey Geospatial Dataset (N = 1,292; 108 sexual minorities). Results indicated that sexual minority youths who reported relational and electronic bullying were more likely to reside in neighborhoods with higher LGBT assault hate crime rates. There was no association between LGBT assault hate crimes and bullying among heterosexual youths, providing evidence for specificity to sexual minority youth. Moreover, no relationships were observed between sexual minority bullying and neighborhood-level violent and property crimes, indicating that the results were specific to LGBT assault hate crimes.


2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110283
Author(s):  
Cara Herbitter ◽  
Alyssa L. Norris ◽  
Kimberly M. Nelson ◽  
Lindsay M. Orchowski

Previous research indicates that teen dating violence (TDV) is more common among sexual minority than heterosexual adolescents, with approximately half of female sexual minority adolescents (SMA) endorsing TDV victimization in the last year. In samples of adolescents without regard to sexual orientation, exposure to violent pornography is associated with TDV, but this relationship has not been assessed in female SMA. The current study sample consisted of 10th-grade high school students aged 14–17 who identified as cisgender females ( N = 1,276). Data were collected from a baseline survey prior to the delivery of a sexual assault prevention intervention. Female SMA had 2.54 times the odds (95%CI [1.75, 3.69]) of being exposed to violent pornography and 2.53 times the odds (95%CI [1.72, 3.70)]) of TDV exposure compared to heterosexual girls. Exposure to violent pornography was not associated with involvement in TDV among female SMA, controlling for episodic heavy drinking ( aOR = 2.25, 95%CI [0.88,6.22]). Given the relatively higher rates of violent pornography and TDV exposure among female SMA compared to heterosexual girls, it is critical that sex education curricula address these experiences and meet the needs of adolescents of all sexual orientations. Future research can assess how these TDV interventions might be tailored for female SMA. Although we did not find that exposure to violent pornography was associated with TDV among female SMA, these investigations should be replicated with larger data sets, given that the association between exposure to violent pornography and engagement in TDV was in the expected direction.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S303-S304
Author(s):  
Arne Stinchcombe ◽  
Nicole G Hammond ◽  
Kimberley Wilson

Abstract Sexual minority older adults face minority stressors that are associated with higher rates of mental illness. The stress buffering effects of social support within majority populations are well documented. Using a large population-based sample of aging Canadians, we sought to examine the relationship between sexual orientation and depressive symptoms, and determine whether this relationship is moderated by social support and sex. Baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) were used (n = 46147). Participants were between the ages of 45-85 years at time of recruitment (mean age = 62.46, SD = 10.27), and self-reported their sexual orientation as heterosexual or lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) (2.1%). Social support and depressive symptoms were measured using validated instruments. Four functional social support subscales were derived: tangible, positive social interaction, affectionate, and emotional/informational. Multiple linear regression models adjusted for relevant covariates were conducted. LGB identification was associated with greater depressive symptoms when compared to heterosexual participants (p = 0.032). As evidenced by a significant 3-way interaction (p = 0.030), increasing tangible social support was associated with a corresponding decrease in the risk of depressive symptoms; this relationship was most pronounced for lesbian and bisexual women. A significant 2-way interaction (p = 0.040) revealed that as emotional/informational social support increased, depressive symptoms decreased, with greater disparity between LGB and heterosexual participants at lower levels of social support. The results highlight the importance of social support in promoting mental health, especially among sexual minority older adults.


Temida ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 21-36
Author(s):  
Jovan Ciric

In the nineties of the last century it was noticed in the U.S.A. that suddenly the number of crimes with violence in the inter-racial and inter-ethnical conflicts rose. Also the phenomenon of ignition of churches, religious and sacral objects, especially in the south of the U.S.A., objects which were used by black people, was recorded. Directly in relation to that - the term ?hate crimes? then arose in science and became outspread very quickly, primarily in criminology. Several events, and above all the murder of a young homosexual in Wyoming influenced for both the violence and the crimes commited towards the homosexuals and all due to the prejudices towards this sexual minority to be included in this term. Today, this term is used not only in the U.S.A. and not only in a criminological sense, but also in a purely legal sense to denote the crimes which were carried out under the influence of hate towards a correspondent racial, ethnical or sexual minority. This term is linked also to the terminology and thus the problems which are related to the ?hate speech?. The author of this paper writes about how this term arose in the first place and which problems emerge related to hate crimes and primarily in relation to the issues of expansion of democracy and tolerance, and also education, primarily among the police force and the young population. The author also ascertains that only with the law, no great effects in the battle against this phenomenon can be achieved and that before the criminal-legal intervention some other measures have to be approached, like the creation of an atmosphere of tolerance and the education of the citizens about the phenomenon of hate crimes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Manning ◽  
Claire Kamp Dush

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives and resulted in high levels of stress. While the evidence at the societal level is clear, there have been no population-based studies of pandemic-based stress focusing on individuals who identify as sexual minorities. Drawing on representative data collected during the pandemic, National Couples’ Health and Time Use Study, we find that partnered (cohabiting or married) individuals who identified as sexual minorities experienced higher levels of stress than individuals who identified as heterosexual. However, variation exists observed among sexual minority adults. Although economic resources, discrimination, social and community support and health conditions are tied to reported stress levels they do not explain differentials according to sexual identity. These results provide evidence that sexual minority adults faced greater stress during the pandemic and the importance of recognizing that sexual minorities are not a monolithic group with varying stress responses to the pandemic.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document