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Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Although many lesbian, gay and bisexual adolescents lead happy
and healthy lives, others face tremendous challenges to growing
up physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. In a culture
that is almost uniformly homophobic and heterosexist, these youth
face rejection, isolation, verbal harassment and physical violence
at home, in school and in religious institutions. Responding to
these pressures, many gay, lesbian and bisexual young people engage
in an array of risky behaviors.
According to the 1995 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey (VRBS),
4% of all 8th-12th male students and 3% of all femals students
have had sexual intercourse with a member of the same sex. When
compared
- Four times more likely to have attempted suicide
- Nearly seven times more likely to have been threatened or injured
with a weapon at school
- Twice as likely to use alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and inhalants
- More than ten times likely to have used cocaine
- Almost three times more likely to have been pregnant or gotten
someone pregnant
* These numbers include those repted having sexual intercourse
with a member of the same sex.
| Risk Behavior |
GLB* Students |
Other Students |
| Never, rarely or only sometimes wore a safety belt when riding
in a car |
47%
|
27%
|
| Attempted suicide (during past 12 months) |
38%
|
9%
|
| Skipped school because of feeling unsafe on route to or at school
*during past 30 days) |
18%
|
4%
|
| Was threatened/injured with a weapon at school (during past 12
months) |
34%
|
5%
|
| Was in a physical fight (during past 12 months) |
61%
|
36%
|
| Smoked cigarettes (during past 30 days) |
73%
|
36%
|
| Binged on alcohol (during past 30 days) |
60%
|
31%
|
| Used marijuana (during past 30 days) |
63%
|
27%
|
| Used inhalants to get high (during lifetime) |
57%
|
26%
|
| Used cocaine (during past 30 days) |
32%
|
3%
|
| Had sexual intercourse prior to age 12 (percentage among sexually
active students only) |
34%
|
10%
|
| Was ever forced or pressured to have sexual intercourse (percentage
among sexually active students only) |
46%
|
18%
|
| Drank alcohol or used drugs before last sexual experience (percentage
among sexually active students only) |
56%
|
29%
|
| Was pregnant or had gotten someone pregnant (percentage among
sexually active students only) |
27%
|
10%
|
| Vomited or took laxatives to control their weight (during past
30 days) |
25%
|
5%
|
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