The normalcy of bullying is reinforced when teachers take part in the abuses, which, Yoneyama observes, can happen when a teacher “uses the bullying as a method of classroom management by siding with this powerful group of students.” In a school system that has been critiqued for aggressively promoting conformity, researchers have observed that social control in junior high school and high school settings can be meted out via peer pressure—including bullying. [22] As Yoneyama states, “Although students themselves may not be aware of it, bullying serves as an illegitimate, ‘school-floor’ peer-surveillance system, which helps to perfect the enforcement of school rules.” [23] You could also break a child or young person’s trust if you share information about their gender identity or sexuality without their permission, or without letting them know first. Children might see anti-LGBTQ+ posts or homophobic, biphobic and transphobic comments even if they aren’t specifically looking for information about LGBTQ+ issues. These can be distressing whether or not the child or young person is directly being targeted (Internet Matters, 2021). Bullying a b Brown, Michael J.; Groscup, Jennifer (February 2009). "Perceptions of same-sex domestic violence among crisis center staff". Journal of Family Violence. 24 (2): 87–93. doi: 10.1007/s10896-008-9212-5. S2CID 26062487. Bimbi, David S.; Palmadessa, Nancy A.; Parsons, Jeffrey T. (2008). "Substance use and domestic violence among urban gays, lesbians and bisexuals". Journal of LGBT Health Research. 3 (2): 1–7. doi: 10.1300/J463v03n02_01. PMID 19835036.

Drawing on her decades of research, Allison calls school bullying “notoriously brutal in Japan,” and notes that while a minority of students seek their parents’ help in cases of bullying, some “young Japanese who are bullied at school and withdraw into self-destructive behavior find exit strategies with the imaginative help of their parents.” Allison documents one case in which parents, having allowed their daughter to stay home from school to avoid bullying, ask a teacher who is concerned about the child’s absences whether the school can provide protection for her return, and are told it is not possible. [18] Other scholars observe that, historically, “Cases of ijime were viewed as a sign of failed homeroom management. As a result, many homeroom teachers are reluctant to ask for help from other teachers, administrators, or counseling professionals.” [19]a b c d e f g Irwin, Jude (June 2008). "(Dis)counted Stories: Domestic Violence and Lesbians". Qualitative Social Work: Research and Practice. 7 (2): 199–215. doi: 10.1177/1473325008089630. S2CID 145674226. LGBTQ+ relationships are underrepresented in educational resources and the media (Barnardo’s and Fox, 2016). This means there are fewer examples of relevant, healthy relationships available to LGBTQ+ young people. If LGBTQ+ young people are not taught about healthy and unhealthy relationships, it might be easier for an abuser to groom them into believing an abusive relationship is normal. In Scotland, the Scottish Government has published non-statutory guidance for schools on supporting transgender young people. This guidance includes information on: It’s important to use appropriate language when talking to and about children and young people. You should ask LGBTQ+ children and young people what language they use to describe themselves, and use these terms in your policies and procedures.

Scottish Government (2021) Supporting transgender young people in schools: guidance for Scottish schools. [Accessed 16/08/2021]. Make it clear to the children and young people you work with that you’re someone they can talk to about their identity and feel safe with. Be open minded and don’t make assumptions about a child’s sexuality or gender identity. Always consider how gender identity or sexuality could impact on their life and any risks they might face. Ofsted and Brown, Chris (2021) Research commentary: teaching about sex, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. [Accessed 03/08/2021]. Your organisation should have an online safety policy that takes into account the additional risks LGBTQ+ children and young people might face online. Staff and volunteers should be able to recognise and respond to any child protection concerns about LGBTQ+ children and young people online. Overall, despite recent promising political dialogues, protecting the fundamental rights of all LGBT people in Japan—including children—remains an overdue obligation for the government.

All your staff and volunteers should know how to recognise and respond to concerns about children and young people’s safety and welfare. This momentum has resulted in some positive national policy shifts as well. For example, the 2012 revised version of the national suicide prevention policy specifically mentions LGBT people. [8] And in the wake of the 2011 earthquake that triggered displacement and trauma near the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the government allocated crisis relief resources specific to the LGBT community. [9] At time of writing, a multiparty caucus was considering comprehensive legislation on the rights of LGBT people. P roposals for the new law range from a comprehensive non-discrimination bill to a bill that just promotes understanding of LGBT people. It is currently unclear what the caucus will submit to the Diet, Japan’s parliament, and when it will do so. If enacted, such legislation would be Japan’s first comprehensive legislation on the rights of LGBT people.

Children’s Society, Victim Support and National Police Chiefs Council (NPSCC) (2018) Supporting LGBTQ+ children and young people at risk of child sexual exploitation: guidance for professionals (PDF). [London]: The Children’s Society. These negative experiences and interactions can impact on all areas of a young person’s life. Family relationships Read our blog about contextual safeguarding Safeguarding and child protection policy and proceduresSexual bullying is not something we can ignore. It is an aggressive behavior and overlaps with sexual harassment, which we often hear of as being perpetrated by men against women. But as Contos pointed out, women and girls may also perpetuate unhealthy sexual attitudes. This may especially be the case among teenage girls, who are just discovering their sexual identity and place within peer groups. Human Rights Watch researchers obtained oral informed consent from all interview participants, and provided written explanations in Japanese and English about the objectives of the research and how interviewees’ accounts would be used in this report and other related materials. Interviewees were informed that they could stop the interview at any time or decline to answer any questions they did not feel comfortable answering. a b c d e f Lewis, Robin J.; Winstead, Barbara A.; Braitman, Abby L.; Hitson, Phoebe (August 2018). "Discrepant Drinking and Partner Violence Perpetration Over Time in Lesbians' Relationships". Violence Against Women. 24 (10): 1149–1165. doi: 10.1177/1077801218781925. ISSN 1077-8012. PMC 6071314. PMID 30037320. Nearly everyone interviewed said they began to question and explore either their own gender or their romantic attraction to people of the same gender when they were children; some explained that they knew they were not cisgender or heterosexual as young as 5 years old. [1]