Three quarters of trans young adults have been victims of verbal abuse in the last year

The majority (72%) of trans young adults have faced verbal abuse in the last year, according to new research by Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity.

The independently conducted research found that trans young adults were most likely in the LGBT+ community to have faced verbal abuse in the past year.

Overall, 61% of LGBT+ young adults have been subjected to verbal abuse in the past year.

After trans young adults, non-binary (70%) young adults and asexual young adults (68%) were the most likely to report verbal abuse in the last 12 months. 

Homophobia and transphobia are so prevalent that straight young people have also faced anti-LGBT+ abuse

1 in 10 non-LGBT+ young adults (11%) have faced anti-LGBT+ verbal abuse in the past year, despite not identifying as LGBT+.

When it comes to physical abuse, LGBT+ and non-LGBT+ young adults faced similar levels (25% and 24% respectively). But this jumped to around a third for young adults who are lesbian (30%), asexual (32%) and gay men (31%).

“The levels of abuse faced by LGBT+ young adults are completely unacceptable.”

— Amy Ashenden, Interim CEO

LGBT+ young adults were significantly more likely than non-LGBT+ young adults to say that the physical abuse they faced was sexual abuse (50% compared to 30%). Of all respondents who had faced physical abuse, lesbian young adults were most likely to have faced sexual abuse (57%), and asexual young adults were most likely to have faced domestic abuse (44%). 

LGBT+ young adults feel less safe at work and where they live

Additionally, LGBT+ young adults were significantly less likely than their non-LGBT+ peers to say that they always feel safe in the area they live in (32% compared to 43%).

Just 6 in 10 LGBT+ young adults always feel safe at home, compared to three quarters (75%) of non-LGBT+ young adults. 

At work, less than half of LGBT+ young adults (49%) always feel safe, compared to 60% of non-LGBT+ young adults. 

The data forms part of a new report by Just Like Us (the LGBT+ young people’s charity) called Positive Futures, due to be published on 1 June. Just Like Us’ research was carried out independently by Cibyl and surveyed 3,695 adults aged 18 to 25. 

The report will look at the experiences of LGBT+ young adults in the UK, covering a range of topics from their wellbeing, home life and time in school to their experiences in the world of work, as well as taking into account intersections such as faith, race and disability. 

Amy Ashenden, interim CEO of Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, said: “It is devastating that the majority of trans young people have faced verbal abuse in the past year alone, and a sign of the often terrifyingly transphobic times we are living in here in the UK.

“The levels of abuse faced by LGBT+ young adults are completely unacceptable. It’s hard to believe that in 2023, LGBT+ young people are still being subjected to verbal abuse and violence, and that anti-LGBT+ attacks are so prevalent that they are even being directed at non-LGBT+ young people. 

“It is absolutely vital that we start taking LGBT+ inclusion seriously, and that schools all over the UK give young people positive messages about LGBT+ identities, otherwise I fear that these figures will only increase. 

“A great place to start for schools UK-wide is signing up for School Diversity Week, so that teachers can access our free and easy-to-use resources and let all of their pupils know that being LGBT+ is something to be celebrated and proud of.” 

Those affected by the issues included in this research should contact Childline (0800 1111), Samaritans (116 123), or Switchboard (0800 0119 100).