New research shows that one in five gay or bisexual teens in Britain have been subjected to homophobic bullying at the hands of teachers or other adults at school

New research shows that one in five gay or bisexual teens in Britain have been subjected to homophobic bullying at the hands of teachers or other adults at school, reports the Independent.

The “Boys Who Like Boys” report produced by the National AIDS Trust (NAT) questioned more than 1,000 gay or bisexual males between the ages of 14 and 19 about their experience of sex and relationship education in school.

While 55 percent of respondents said they had experienced bullying and discrimination due to their sexual orientation, 39 percent of that segment said a teacher or another adult at school had been responsible for the bullying.

The survey also suggests that poor sex education lessons are driving a rise in the number of young gay men contracting HIV.

Deborah Gold, the chief executive of the NAT, said:

“It’s an incredibly high number. The idea that teachers or other adults at school are sometimes responsible for bullying and discrimination is utterly unacceptable. It’s definitely an area I’d want to know more about. It’s a worryingly high enough statistic that you’d want to find out how that is impacting on young people.”

Gold added:

“The majority of the people that filled in this survey are leaving education not knowing how to protect themselves from HIV is shocking. The number of young men who have sex with men who are contracting HIV is increasing. I think there’s an absolute link between the lack of this education at a time when people need it and the consequences of that.”

Stonewall chief executive Ruth Hunt said the findings are “a sad but accurate representation of the situation that many young gay men face growing up in Britain today”.

Watch an Educational Action Challenging Homophobia video used as a teaching resource in the UK, AFTER THE JUMP…