Experiences of Harassment, Discrimination, and Physical Violence Among Young gay and Bisexual men

Gay/bisexual men from 3 cities in the southwestern United States completed self-administered questionnaires on anti-gay harassment, discrimination, & violence. 37% of respondents reported experiencing anti-gay verbal harassment in the previous 6 months; 11.2% reported discrimination, & 48.8% reported physical violence. Reports of mistreatment were associated with lower self-esteem & increased suicide ideation. Policies are needed for young gay/bisexual men to create safe social settings & to help them cope with the psychological effects of these events. (25 refs.)