Homosexuality Linked with Childhood Trauma
Image via Wikipedia DUNEDIN, New Zealand , July 26, 2010. A recent Otago University study has found that homosexual or bisexual individuals are more likely to have undergone a variety of of traumas in childhood, including sexual assault , rape, violence, and witnessing violence in the home. "People who either identify themselves as homosexual or bisexual, or have had a same-sex encounter or relationship, tend to come from more disturbed backgrounds," said Research Associate Professor Elisabeth Wells. The study analyzed results from a New Zealand Mental Health study that surveyed about 13,000 people between 2003 and 2004. 98% of the participants in the study identified themselves as heterosexual; 0.8% identified as homosexual; 0.6% identified as bisexual; and 0.3% identified as "something else." Of people who reported certain traumatic childhood events, 15% were not heterosexual; of those without such experiences, only 5% were not heterosexual, suggesting t