Polling conducted by YouGov for global children’s charity Theirworld reveals alarming rates of bullying and discrimination towards LGBTQ+ youth in educational settings, with many incidents going unreported and inadequate staff responses.
Polling conducted by YouGov, commissioned by the global children’s charity Theirworld, surveyed 545 individuals aged 16-24 in the UK, with 337 still in education. The results, published during Pride Month, indicate that LGBTQ+ youth continue to face significant levels of bullying and discrimination in educational settings.
Key findings include:
– 47% of LGBT+ youth reported experiencing bullying and/or discrimination at school or university due to their sexual orientation.
– Half (49%) of these individuals did not report the incidents.
– Among those who did report, 72% felt that staff responded inadequately.
– 25% of LGBT+ students faced bullying and/or discrimination based on gender identity.
– Forms of bullying reported include verbal abuse (73%), harassment (53%), online abuse (31%), threats of violence (24%), physical abuse (16%), and sexual abuse (15%).
– 27% of respondents felt or currently feel unsafe in secondary school, compared to 6% at university or college, and 9% at sixth-form college.
Theirworld’s president, Justin van Fleet, emphasized the need for schools to be inclusive environments where all students feel secure and respected.
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