82% Of QLD Youth Have Considered Suicide

Local News, By Christian Taylor, 10th November, 2008

New research conducted by Open Doors, a Brisbane-based support service for young GLBT people, has found that a startling number of young people in QLD have attempted suicide after being bullied about their sexuality.

The Open Doors Action Research Report comes out this Friday, and of the 164 young people surveyed from across QLD, 37% of them had attempted suicide within the last 12 months, 82% had considered suicide in the past 12 months and 59% had harmed themselves. Those are pretty drastic numbers.

Co-ordinator Lisa Thorpy told the Brisbane Times that 81% of respondents had been bullied because of their sexuality, and that harassment had come not only from students but also from adults – teachers, administrators and parents – and that it had happened at both public and private schools.

She said that the bullying ranged from words through to physical and sexual assaults and that two thirds of those surveyed stayed away from school for weeks because they didn’t feel safe there.

If you, or someone you know, needs help, please call LifeLine on 13 11 14 or the SANE Helpline 1800 18 SANE (7263). Headspace.org.au is an online resource which has been established to help young people deal with mental illness.

Your Thoughts

ghssamsame

said ages ago

82% is a crazy number, depressing that that is what is happening. And sad that I am only just now realising the inherent homophobia is not part of the Australian culture but just very concentrated in my geographic, due to the previous comments

tricky28

said ages ago

those statistics are very sad

meezon04

said ages ago

QLD's no more homophobic than anywhere else - don't bag out my home state :P I thought suicide consideration was a common thing.

DeepBlueDreamer

said ages ago

Federal intervention to save the LGBTQI kids...send the armed forces in?

DeepBlueDreamer

said ages ago

Sorry...but if the research is correct, it's tragic and unbelievable. Homophobia must be widespread and severe without any support for the kids up there. Hopefully the research is not accurate...no community should have 52% of their kids resorting to self-harm!? :-(

shyish

said ages ago

I feel that we need more people out there to spread the message that being gay at any age should be respected. I find that alot of the community do accept it and feel that the message needs to go to educational instutions and especially at the teachers level that being gay is okay,and all the support that can be given is.

hazyinseptember

said ages ago

ive been planning an under age glbt event for a little while now.. i applied for funding and was told that 'there was not the need for such an event' fuck the funding.. im gonna try for early next year..

letsgobi

said ages ago

Totally agree!:p

Asherbella

said ages ago

Where are these kids' parents? Don't the mothers and fathers of QLD talk to their children???

hazyinseptember

said ages ago

queensland great.. fuck both of you :D

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