Ely pride says more to be done to protect LGBTQ+ people from alcohol-related harm
A new report on alcohol-related harm has been released
A Pride group in Cambridgeshire has told us more must be done to protect LGBTQ+ people from harm while drinking alcohol.
Figures from a report by Drinkaware found out of more than 3,000 LGBTQ+ adults in the UK surveyed, seventy per cent are binge drinkers.
The charity also found LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to experience harm from others' drinking, which it said could stem from facing discrimination and stigma.
Sandy Fosh is from the Pride in Ely group: "People are still marginalised; I think going out drinking serves various purposes, perhaps if they're going to a space they're not used to or they don't know what the environment is like, it (a drink) might give them a boost to go out into the community," she said.
"I think as a society, we're getting closer but we are still miles and miles away.
"We're much closer than what we were in the 1950s and 1960s, but we still have a very long way to go (to sorting the issue)."
What else did the report find?
The survey asked individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ about topics such as experiences of alcohol-related harm, alcohol use and mental health.
Although the report found adults from LGBTQ+ communities are more likely to seek support for their drinking, drinkers are most likely to report drinking alone at home in the last 12 months than non-LGBTQ+ drinkers.
The report found that individuals across each age group of LGBTQ+ adults are more vulnerable to face harm from others' drinking.
A third of LGBTQ+ adults face depression
More than half of LGBTQ+ adults reported encountering at least one negative impact from someone else's drinking in the last year; that's compared to 40 per cent of other adults.
While the report found drinking in nightlife settings could increase the risk of harm for LGBTQ+ drinkers from others' drinking.
A third of LGBTQ+ adults face higher rates of depression (33%), anxiety (37%) and overall life dissatisfaction (18%) compared to non-LGBTQ+ adults (20%, 20% and 12%) respectively, according to the report.
Karen Tyrell, the charity Drinkaware's Chief Executive, said: "For too long, this gap in understanding has meant that people have missed vital support and help.
"This research lifts the lid on alcohol consumption and its associated harms within the LGBTQ+ community; by understanding people's experience and moving beyond blame and stereotypes, we can work together to reduce alcohol-related harm."
A full copy of the report can be found here.
"Mental health in young people is much more discussed"
Sandy believes by educating people of all ages about the issues LGBTQ+ people face, it can help tackle the problem.
"When I'm meeting adults who are like 'when I was younger, if I had that support and go to somebody in a school and talk about this, things might have been different'," she added.
"I think that's going to be the thing that changes it (LGBTQ+ mental health issues), making sure our kids are supported so they can grow into safer environments.
"Mental health in young people is much more discussed than it used to be; I think it's going in the right direction, but we just need to get it through all the generations."