Page 47 - Fyne winter 2014
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and harassment has been known for a long time: this survey confirmed that the effect is
multiplied when a woman is also being bullied because of her sexuality. Such an impact
inevitably feeds into increased risk of mental ill health.
There is also plenty of evidence confirming that young LGBT people are particularly at risk
of mental health problems. With more than half of young LGBT people facing bullying
at school, this should not be a surprise and many display symptoms of depression. Hostile
responses to disclosure can lead to reliance on drugs and alcohol and a substantially higher
risk of suicidal behaviour than for their heterosexual peers. Self-harm is another problem
disproportionately affecting young LGB and T people. But the evidence also shows that
mental health services are not always well geared up to cater for young LGBT people and
that some are reluctant to seek help for this reason.
The Department of Health has understood the problem and issued advice for
mental health services. But while accessing appropriate treatment
is vital, it would be so much better if the causes of the mental
ill health could be addressed in the first place. That
requires a strategy for finally ending the continuing
scandal of homophobic and transphobic bullying in
education, which can only be based on steps that
no government has yet had the courage to take.
This would include compulsory and inclusive
education in sex and relationships that reaches
all parts of the curriculum, and the training of
all school staff to prevent bullying and promote
equality.
But that is the easy bit, harder still is the
challenge of ending workplace bullying. This
will need action from employers, working in
tandem with trade unions, to change the
culture in workplaces. They must recognise
that it is in no one’s interest to sustain the
present epidemic of mental ill health
created by intolerable management
pressure, compounded by prejudiced
behaviours by management and
colleagues.”
Peter Purton
LGBT/disability officer, TUC.
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