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Abstract
Disproportionate levels of violence exist in lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, asexual, and other sexual identity (LGBQA+) communities, often starting in adolescence and young adulthood, but little research exists on the range of sexual violence (SV) experiences. To assess risk of experiences of sexual violence among California LGBQA+ adults during adolescence and young adulthood. This survey study analyzed data from Cal-VEX 2020, a state-representative survey of California residents aged 18 years and older, to assess associations between LGBQA+ identification and types of SV experienced in adolescence (ages 13-17 years) and young adulthood (ages 18-24 years) using gender-stratified adjusted logistic regression. Forms of SV included verbal, cyber, and coercion or physically aggressive sexual harassment; homophobic or transphobic slurs; and forced sex. Sexual identity. The outcome of interest was experiences with any 5 forms of sexual violence (verbal sexual harassment, homophobic or transphobic slurs, cyber sexual harassment, sexual coercion or physically aggressive sexual harassment, and forced sex) during adolescence or young adulthood. A total of 2102 contacted individuals (response rate, 26.2%) completed the Cal-VEX survey and were included in these analyses. Among these, the mean (SD) age was 46.6 (17.7) years, 1149 identified as female, 953 identified as male, and 214 respondents (9.6%) identified as LGBQA+. Compared with heterosexual individuals, LGBQA+ individuals had significantly higher odds of having experienced homophobic or transphobic slurs (women: AOR, 14.65; 95% CI, 5.14-41.77; men: AOR, 14.17; 95% CI, 6.96-28.86) and forced sex (women: AOR, 5.35; 95% CI, 2.74-10.43; men: AOR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.01-7.10) in adolescence. LGBQA+ women also had higher odds of having experienced verbal and coercion or physically aggressive sexual harassment in adolescence (AOR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.30-4.19). In young adulthood, LGBQA+ individuals also had higher odds of having experienced homophobic or transphobic slurs (women: AOR, 18.58; 95% CI, 7.12-48.49; men: AOR, 16.73; 95% CI, 8.26-33.92) in young adulthood. LGBQA+ men also had higher odds of having experienced homophobic or transphobic slurs (AOR, 16.73; 95% CI, 8.26-33.92); verbal (AOR, 3.29; 95% CI, 1.44-7.53), cyber (AOR, 6.32; 95% CI, 1.50-26.52), and coercion or physically aggressive (AOR, 5.54; 95% CI, 2.08-14) sexual harassment; and forced sex (AOR, 21.26; 95% CI, 5.63-80.35) in young adulthood. This survey study found that adult LGBQA+ individuals were at increased risk for having experienced SV across the continuum during adolescence and young adulthood, consistent with prior research. Multifold solutions are needed to support LGBQA+ youth, including altering social norms accepting SV and homophobia, creating safer schools and other institutional environments, and supporting healthy sexual and romantic partnerships.
Highlights
Adolescents and young adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning or queer, asexual, and other sexual identities (LGBQA+) have sexual orientations outside heterosexual norms and face discrimination and violence as a result
LGBQA+ individuals had significantly higher odds of having experienced homophobic or transphobic slurs and forced sex in adolescence
LGBQA+ individuals had higher odds of having experienced homophobic or transphobic slurs in young adulthood
Summary
Adolescents and young adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning or queer, asexual, and other sexual identities (LGBQA+) have sexual orientations outside heterosexual norms and face discrimination and violence as a result. Other research with adolescents has examined sexual identity and other forms of SV, including in-person and online sexual harassment, and again found greater risk for LGBQA+ youth, boys, and this harassment is often inclusive of homophobic and transphobic name calling.[11,12] Importantly, indications are that homophobic and transphobic harassment, viewed as sexual harassment including both sexual and gendered abuses,[13] is the most common form of sexual harassment adolescent boys face in school.[14] Notably, studies show that perpetrators of homophobic and transphobic harassment in middle school are more likely to perpetrate sexual assault and rape in later adolescence,[15,16] which again may disproportionately affect LGBQA+ youth, as indicated by YRBS data None of these studies examined whether there were differences in observed associations by forms of SV. These same associations may hold true in young adulthood but may be diminished in a context of greater autonomy and self-acceptance among young adults compared with adolescents
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