Victimization of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth in community settings

One hundred ninety‐four lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth between the ages of 15 and 21 were surveyed about victimization due to their sexual orientation. Three areas were assessed: (1) the prevalence of different kinds of victimization, ranging from verbal abuse to armed assault; (2) the specific social contexts in which anti‐lesbian/gay victimization occurred, including family, school, work, and the broader community; and (3) correlates of anti– lesbian/gay victimization, including age‐related sexual orientation milestones, concealability of sexual orientation, sex, race/ethnicity, and safety fears. Most respondents had experienced some form of victimization, with no social environment being free from risk of harm. Particularly vulnerable for abuse were youth who self‐labeled or self‐disclosed at an earlier age and those whose sexual orientation was less concealed or concealable.