SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR LESBIANS IN FOSTER CARE
The purpose of this paper is to examine the current literature on suicide prevention efforts designed for lesbian youth in foster care situations. The report provides context
by examining the literature on the general problems faced by lesbian youth and the contribution of these problems to the development of suicidal feelings in general and to suicidal feelings in the foster care situation in particular. The report ends with a discussion of steps that can be taken to remediate the pressures leading to suicidal behavior for lesbian youth in foster care.
Prevalence Rates and Causative Factors
To what degree are lesbians at risk for suicide and other physically destructive behaviors. Bradford, Ryan and Rothblum (1994) present demographic, lifestyle, and mental health information about 1,925 lesbians drawn from all 50 states who participated as respondents in the National lesbian Health Care Survey (1984 1985), which has been the most comprehensive study on American lesbians to date. The authors reported that over half the sample had thoughts about suicide at some time, and 18 percent had attempted suicide.
With respect to causative factors involved in suicide, survey data revealed that 37 percent of the sample had been physically abused as a child or adult, 32 percent had been raped or sexually attacked, and 19 percent had been involved in incestuous relationships while growing up. Regarding other self-destructive and unhealthful behaviors, Bradford, Ryan and Rothblum (1994) reported that almost one third of the women surveyed used tobacco on a daily basis, and about 30 percent drank alcohol more than once a week.
Six percent of the sample drank alcohol daily. About three fourths of the sample had received counseling at some time, and half had done so for reasons of sadness and depression.
Almost all of the lesbians in the survey were socially connected an...