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Hate Crimes Against Sexual Minorities on Community College Campuses

ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges
EdInfo 99-02

A questionnaire-based survey of 484 students at six Pacifc Northwest community college campuses breaks new ground concerning antigay attitudes among community college students. This first-of-its-kind research, which focuses on the perpetrators of physical and verbal harassment against sexual minorities, examined three aspects of antigay harassment.

• Perpetration rates: More than one-third of all respondents reported participating in antigay harassment. 1 in 10 respondents reported physical violence or threats of physical violence against presumed gay men and lesbians. Another 24% reported antigay name calling.
• Perpetrator's motivations: Assailants tended to be young men, acting in groups, who were intent on enforcing a rigid gender code. Four distinct motivations were found to underlie antigay violence: Self-Defense, Ideology, Thrill Seeking, and Peer Dynamics.
• Factors that may forestall perpetrators: The two-thirds of respondents who were identified as non-assailants gave four primary reasons for not engaging in harassment of sexual minorities: "tolerance" and "moral beliefs" were the most frequent responses, while "personal contact with homosexuals" and "fear of trouble with authorities" and "avoidance of injury or disease" were the least frequent responses.

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Updated 10/10/01
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