Photo/Illutration Until recently, transgender women who wanted to legally change their gender typically underwent both bottom and sterilization surgery to meet the law's "appearance requirement."

More than 30 percent of teenagers who identify as sexual minorities have experience of refusing to attend school due to bullying, acts of physical or sexual violence and other factors, a survey found.

Covering lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals of all ages, the survey by Lifenet Insurance Co. highlighted the difficulties many pupils and students encounter at educational institutions.

The online survey, carried out between December 2022 and April 2023, revealed that nearly 40 percent of the youngsters have been bullied.

Lifenet Insurance commissioned Yasuharu Hidaka, a professor of social epidemiology at Takarazuka University’s faculty of nursing, to examine those who identify as homosexual or bisexual as well as youngsters whose natural-born sex does not match their self-recognized gender identity.

A total of 10,449 individuals took part. Of that figure, 456 were 10 to 19 years old.

Asked whether they found it difficult to go to school at some point during their elementary, junior high and senior high school days, 21.1 percent of all respondents said “yes.”

Among generations, the ratio was the highest at 34.9 percent for those aged 10 through 19.

Fiscal 2022 statistics released by the education ministry show that 3.2 percent of elementary and junior high school children nationwide refused to attend school. The figure for high schoolers was 2.0 percent.

The rate for sexual minorities in the latest survey was upward of 10 times of what is considered standard.

In addition, 38.8 percent of respondents in the 10-19 age group said they had been bullied during their student days.

The study also looked at the damage caused by verbal abuse as well as sexual and other types of violence. More than one answer was allowed for this question.

It found that 13.9 percent of all respondents had been “victimized by physical violence,” while 11.5 percent ticked “sexual violence.”

A staggering 52.8 percent of the 3,686 respondents who touched upon their experiences of being exposed to some sort of abuse and violence stated they had “never consulted” with others about their problems.

Those who had confided about their difficulties concerning sexual orientation and gender identity while attending school came to a paltry 6.9 percent of all respondents.

Hidaka explained the likely background behind the results.

“Few teachers are really aware of the fact that sexual minorities are, naturally, among the students who attend their classes,” he said. “Sexual minorities are misunderstood in many respects, too.”

Hidaka called for greater awareness in and outside school “that both men and women can be targeted by sexual violence and harassment even among those of the same gender. That will enable victims to seek help with ease.”

Related News