Survey: Half of
gays experience verbal abuse

About four in 10 gay men and an eighth of lesbians and bisexuals have been the target of violence or property crime because of their sexual orientation. A University of California, Davis, survey found that among 662 LGBT people, half of those surveyed had been verbally abused, and 23% reported being threatened with violence. Eleven percent have experienced job or housing discrimination.

"These data highlight the continuing need for criminal justice programs to prevent and deter antigay crimes, as well as the need for victim services that will help to alleviate the physical, economic, social, and psychological consequences of such crimes," UC Davis professor Gregory Herek wrote in the study.

According to the study, men are more likely than women to be the targets of violent crimes. It was also found that gay men and lesbians were more open about their sexuality than bisexual men and women. (The Advocate)