TIMELY AND accessible mental health services are vital for young gays or lesbians struggling to deal with distress caused by stigma or discrimination, an Oireachtas committee heard yesterday.
A report showed that a majority of gay and lesbians surveyed in Ireland have been verbally abused or suffered harassment.
It found that 80 per cent of respondents said they had been verbally abused, while 40 per cent had been punched, kicked or beaten. But the report also found that many were resilient, drawing support from family or friends, and have gone on to lead happy and satisfying lives.
The report was based on findings from 1,110 online surveys and 40 face-to-face interviews with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of all ages.
It was conducted by the Children’s Research Centre in TCD and the school of education at UCD and was commissioned by the BeLonG 2 youth service and the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (Glen).
The Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Suicide was told that schools are a vital setting in which to target the stigma surrounding homosexual identity. The research found that 58 per cent of gays experienced homophobic bullying at school and 34 per cent received homophobic comments from teachers or other staff members.
The findings suggest that gays are most at risk between the ages of 14 and 21, a period during which many realise they are gay or bisexual, coinciding with puberty and a vital period of social and emotional development.
Representatives also pointed out that being gay or lesbian per se does not result in mental health problems. Rather, the psychological distress caused by stresses of stigma, discrimination and marginalisation can increase a person’s vulnerability to developing mental health problems.