Transgender and other youths with diverse gender identities are victimized up to three times more than their peers, according to a new study.

The students were part of a statewide survey of eighth- through 12th-grade youths in Illinois schools.

«Transgender youths reported the highest rates of all forms of peer victimization, which were double to nearly triple those of males and up to 2.6 times higher than those of females,» said social work professor Rachel Garthe of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who led the research.

«Slightly more than half of transgender youths reported verbal abuse such as peers calling them names or spreading rumors about them. About one in three of these youths reported cyber victimization, and slightly fewer reported psychological dating violence,» such as a romantic partner denigrating or trying to control them, Garthe said.

Gender-expansive youths — students who don’t identify as male, female or transgender — experienced disproportionately higher rates of all forms of bullying and dating violence.

Among these students, 41% experienced verbal abuse, nearly 32% were cyberbullied and 19% experienced physical violence, according to the study.

Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau. Original written by Sharita Forrest. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.