Learning Objectives–At the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. about the prevalence of suicide among LGBTQ2S youth.

This module  will not teach you how to intervene when a youth is suicidal or potentially suicidal. That is a training all on its own. Here are some helpful resources on suicide prevention:

• Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention
• Canadian Mental Health Association
• Kids Help Phone
• The Trevor Project

The purpose of this module is to highlight that LGBTQ2S youth “are over four times more likely to attempt suicide than their non-LGBT peers” (Dyck, 2012: 3) This is a result of…

… LGBTQ[2S] youth fac[ing] greater prejudice and victimization in their schools and a correspondingly lower level of school connectedness than their non-LGBTQ[2S] peers:

• 68% of trans students, 55% of LB students and 42% of GB students reported being verbally harassed about their perceived gender identity or sexual orientation.

• 20% of LGBTQ[2S] students reported being physically harassed or assaulted about their perceived gender identity or sexual orientation.

• 49% of trans students, 33% of lesbian students and 40% of gay male students have experienced sexual harassment in school in the last year.

• 64% of LGBTQ[2S] students feel unsafe in their schools (compared to 15% of non-LGBTQ[2S] students).

• 30% of trans students and 20% of LGB students strongly agreed that they sometimes “feel very depressed” about their school (compared to 6% of non-LGBTQ[2S] students) (Dyck: 5).

 

 

 

Some questions to think about and discuss with your colleagues:

1. What are your suicide prevention policies and procedures?
2. Are staff trained and support to intervene when a youth is or potential is suicidal?
3. What are your follow-up processes?
4. Do you make referrals to external organizations?
5. Do you know if these organizations are LGBTQ2S welcoming and inclusive?
6. What can your organization do to help support external referral partners to become LGBTQ2S welcoming and inclusive if they are not already?
7. Knowing that LGBTQ2S youth face microaggressions on a daily basis, what additional supports can your organization offer?

Sources:

Dyck, D. (2012, January 1). LGBTQ Youth Suicide Prevention Summit 2012: Report on Outcomes and Recommendations. Retrieved February 9, 2015, from http://egale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/YSPS-Report-online.pdf

 

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