Submitting to the Lesbian Bully Intern: Book Nine

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feeling the pressure of sexual and gender norms (McDermott, Hughes and Rawlings, 2018; Scottish Government, 2021) having to manage their sexual and gender identity across different life areas (for example, coming out at school but not at home) (McDermott, Hughes and Rawlings, 2018) Your organisation should have an online safety policy that takes into account the additional risks LGBTQ+ children and young people might face online. Staff and volunteers should be able to recognise and respond to any child protection concerns about LGBTQ+ children and young people online.

feeling isolated or ‘different’ from their family and friends (The Children’s Society, Victim Support and National Police Chiefs Council, 2018; LGBT Health & Wellbeing et al, 2018) There are a range of ways you can help support and protect the LGBTQ+ children, young people and families you work with. Understanding a child’s lived experience Statutory guidance across the UK highlights the responsibility of those in education, community and care sectors to safeguard all children from all forms of abuse and neglect. Nearly everyone interviewed said they began to question and explore either their own gender or their romantic attraction to people of the same gender when they were children; some explained that they knew they were not cisgender or heterosexual as young as 5 years old. [1] Evidence suggests that LGBTQ+ children and young people might be at increased risk of some forms of harm. Child sexual exploitationIjime, or bullying, is common among all students in Japan, and LGBT students are among those who are specifically targeted by peers. Prof. Yasuharu Hidaka at Takarazuka University School of Nursing in Osaka, who has conducted surveys of gay and bisexual men and boys since 1999, found in a 2014 survey that nearly 44 percent of the 1,096 respondents between the ages of 11 and 19 had experienced bullying in school. In response to the bullying, 18 percent of overall respondents and 23 percent of teens avoided going to school. Self-harm, defined as cutting oneself with a sharp object, was reported by 10 percent of overall respondents and 18 percent of teens. [3] LGBT Rights in Japan a b c d West, Carolyn M. (March 2002). "Lesbian intimate partner violence: prevalence and dynamics". Journal of Lesbian Studies. 6 (1): 121–127. doi: 10.1300/J155v06n01_11. PMID 24803054. S2CID 30945308. In this way, sexual harassment may shift to become ongoing sexual bullying. And while we most often hear about this being perpetrated by boys, it happens among girls too.

Dependency in lesbian relationships is also a result of female-specific socialization. [15] Since women have been socialized for "togetherness" and cooperative living, women often struggle with balancing social life and being alone. A study found that lesbians are more likely to spend free time at home than homosexual men are. [15] In lesbian relationships, women often find it difficult to spend time apart because they feel pressured to take care of one another. Women may assume that spending time away from their partner would make them upset or angry. Without proper communication, improper management of time may lead to unhealthy discourse within a relationship, and partner equality remains difficult to maintain. [15] Across the UK there is guidance and best practice information on supporting LGBTQ+ children and young people in schools. Organisations in other sectors might also find this helpful. Read more about children’s rights Guidance on supporting LGBTQ+ children and young people in schools LGBTQ+ people and families should be reflected throughout the curriculum to help LGBTQ+ children feel safe and included (Scottish Government, 2021). It is important that children and young people are taught about all kinds of relationships, including LGBTQ+ relationships. When having discussions about relationships, make it clear to children and young people that same sex relationships and different gender identities are valid and should be respected. Talk to them about what a healthy relationship looks like, and make sure they know who to talk to if they are ever worried about anything.In some cases, children said they encountered small pieces of information in official sources, such as textbooks, leading them to assume it was acceptable to inquire further about the topics. However, those who pursued inquiries with school staff often received ignorant or prejudiced responses from teachers that caused students to think of their identities as pathological or problematic. Internet Matters (2021) LGBTQ+: advice for professionals working with LGBTQ+ young people aged 7-18. [Accessed 30/07/2021].

Puberty can be a distressing and sometimes traumatic time for LGBTQ+ children and young people as their body and hormones start to change. They might start to have new or confusing feelings about their gender or sexuality. This can be particularly distressing if young people don’t have anyone to talk about things with or don’t feel supported.

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LGBTQ+ relationships are underrepresented in educational resources and the media (Barnardo’s and Fox, 2016). This means there are fewer examples of relevant, healthy relationships available to LGBTQ+ young people. If LGBTQ+ young people are not taught about healthy and unhealthy relationships, it might be easier for an abuser to groom them into believing an abusive relationship is normal. But if we do not tolerate such behaviors from boys towards girls, we should not be ignoring it if girls use the same sexual put downs.

Ensure that all university programs for the education and certification of teachers include mandatory training on working with diverse students, including those who are LGBT and those who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. Make it clear to the children and young people you work with that you’re someone they can talk to about their identity and feel safe with. Be open minded and don’t make assumptions about a child’s sexuality or gender identity. Always consider how gender identity or sexuality could impact on their life and any risks they might face. Take our introductory safeguarding and child protection courses Recognising and responding to child protection concerns Another interviewee recalled how in health class the teacher had introduced the textbook’sStonewall (2022) An introduction to supporting LGBT children and young people: a guide for schools, colleges and settings (PDF). London: Stonewall. Bradlow, J. et al (2017) School report: the experiences of lesbian, gay, bi and trans young people in Britain's schools in 2017 (PDF). London: Stonewall. McDermott, E., Hughes, E. and Rawlings, V. (2018) The social determinants of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth suicidality in England: a mixed methods study. Journal of Public Health, 40(3): e244-e251. Bimbi, David S.; Palmadessa, Nancy A.; Parsons, Jeffrey T. (2008). "Substance use and domestic violence among urban gays, lesbians and bisexuals". Journal of LGBT Health Research. 3 (2): 1–7. doi: 10.1300/J463v03n02_01. PMID 19835036. Adults in your organisation should know how to recognise and respond to concerns about children and young people’s mental health.