Suicide & Hate Crimes: Contextualizing LGBT Adolescent Crisis Tracy Hipp

1. Suicide & Hate Crimes: Contextualizing LGBT Adolescent Crisis Tracy Hipp Introduction Research in the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adolescent suicide indicates that LGBT youth are two to three times more likely to make a serious suicide attempt than heterosexual youth and may account for 30% of completed suicides (Kulkin, Chauvin & Percle, 2000). The majority of studies attempting to contextualize the epidemic of LGBT adolescent suicide are viewed in relation to protective factors within an individual’s microsystems (Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006). There have been very few studies conducted looking at rates of adolescent suicide in relation to a larger cultural context such as state and federal laws (Jesdale & Zierler, 2002) THIS STUDY: By looking at crude estimated rates of LGBT adolescent suicide I will attempt to relate the LGBT suicide rate to the existence of protective status given by hate crime laws in the 50 states and District of Columbia. Applying Durkheim’s Suicide Theory, I will propose an explanation for the increased risk that this population faces (Durkheim, 1951). • Method • Participants: • Data were taken from the CDC’s NCHS Vital Statistics System and Bureau of Census • Completed adolescent suicides in 2004 = 5,036* • LGBT adolescent suicide rates estimated at 30% for 2004 = 1,511* • Ages 13-25 • Both Sexes • All Races/Ethnicities • Hate Crime Laws: • State hate crime laws from 2004 were taken from the Anti-Defamation League State Hate Crime Statutory Provisions and assigned to one of four groups • Full Inclusion Status: States have hate crime laws which include sexual orientation and gender • Sexual Orientation Inclusion: States have hate crime laws which include sexual orientation as a protected status • No Inclusion: States have hate crimes laws but do not include sexual orientation as a protected status • No Hate Crime Laws: States do not have hate crime laws or do not protect any specified group. • Procedure: • Estimated LGBT crude suicide rates were recorded by state. • Rates were stratified by state into four groups dependent upon protection status. Results Full Inclusion: 22 States, M = 2.94 Suicides 764 Deaths - Crude Rate 64.76 per 100,000 Partial Inclusion: 9 States, M = 2.99 248 Deaths - Crude Rate 26.92 per 100,000 No Inclusion: 14 States, M = 4.26 356 Deaths - Crude Rate 59.61 per 100,000 No Hate Crime Laws: 6 States**, M = 2.99 141 Deaths - Crude Rate17.96 per 100,000 *Rates per 100,000 * *GA and UT Chris Goode: I actually don’t have any idea what this means! Note: GA enhances penalties for “bias or prejudice”, UT ties penalties for hate crime violations to constitutional or civil rights Green: Full Inclusion, White: Partial Inclusion, Orange & Yellow: Hate Crime Laws With No Inclusion, Red: No Hate Crime Laws Discussion These data suggested that LGBT youth living in states which acknowledge the importance of protection from harm, but excluded this population from such privilege may be at increased risk of suicide. Durkheim’s Theory of Egoistic Suicide suggests that a lack of integration or normalizing of a group’s experience may result in a greater risk of suicide for that group (1951) and although no significant difference exists between states which harbor partial or full inclusion laws and those states which do not have hate crime laws, it may be the intentional omission of this group from protective status that carries the greatest ramifications. Frequently acknowledged as a group critically at risk of suicide, LGBT youth have been overrepresented in studies conducted on ideation and attempt (Kourany, 1987; Schneider, Farberow, & Kruks, 1989; Ramfedi, 1990). No reliable data are available which report the number of adolescents identified as LGBT and consequently the number of LGBT adolescents who have committed suicide. As suggested by Kulkin, Chauvin & Percle (2000), using a 30% estimate of adolescent suicides committed to reflect the number of LGBT adolescent suicides may serve as a starting point to create dialogue on the issue of LGBT adolescent crisis until such statistics begin to emerge. CONTACT Tracy Hipp thipp1@student.gsu.edu