Homophobic bullying 'almost epidemic' in Britain's schools

A major survey undertaken by Stonewall has found that almost two thirds of lesbian and gay pupils, some 156,000 children, have been victims of homophobic bullying. The School Report, the largest poll of young gay people ever conducted in this country, presents a shocking picture of the extent of homophobic bullying undertaken by fellow pupils and, alarmingly, school staff.

The study found that 65% of lesbian and gay pupils had experienced homophobic bullying, and 97% of gay pupils hear derogatory phrases used in school. It also discovered that half of all teachers fail to respond to homophobic language when they hear it.

The full report is available to download at the Stonewall website.

Published: 25th July 2007 by Lee (updated Thu 21st Jan)