Adolescents harassed in school (or on the way to and from school) because they are assumed to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual are also at greater risk for suicidality; their general relative risk for increasingly serious suicide behaviors is a result of both the Oregon (1999) and Wisconsin (1999) Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (Tables 7, 8). These negative outcomes, however, are the most pronounced for adolescent males. In the Oregon survey, males harassed because they were presumed to be homosexually oriented are 5 and 7 times more at risk for being multiple suicide attempters, and for a suicide attempt(s) associated with having received medical attention, and they account for 33% and 35% of suicide attempters in these categories, respectively. Females are also negatively affected by such harassment, but to a lesser degree than males are at risk, compared to their respective counterparts.
 
 

"During the past 12 months..." Q-12: "...have you ever been harassed at school (or on the way to and from school) because someone thought your were gay, lesbian or bisexual?" Answer: Yes / No. Q-28: "...did you ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more?" Q-29: "...did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide?" Q-30: "...how many times did you actually attempt suicide?" Q-31: "If you attempted suicide during the past 12 months, did any attempt result in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse?"