The results of a study conducted on over two thousand high school students in Friuli Venezia Giulia were presented in Udine.
Bologna, May 16, 2015 – "Alarming numbers, which require serious and structural interventions": Flavio Romani, president of Arcigay, expressed concern about the data made public this morning in Udine during the conference organized by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia on the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia. According to the research, the result of an agreement signed by the Region, the University of Trieste, the Regional School Office, and Arcigay/Arcilesbica, which involved 2,138 high school students in Friuli Venezia Giulia, more than 431% of students have witnessed acts of homophobic bullying, more than 301% have reported experiencing verbal or behavioral homophobic attacks, and more than 101% have reported committing homophobic acts. "According to the data," Romani reflects, "one in three students in schools is a victim of bullying, and every class presumably has a gang of bullies. The research also suggests that the phenomenon diminishes when teachers are perceived not to be indifferent, but rather to be ready to punish it. In short, school is undoubtedly a difficult terrain for gays and lesbians, an environment far from inclusive. But the Ministry of Education, University and Research itself, in the circular issued by Director General Giovanna Boda for the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, emphasized that schools must, on the contrary, strive daily to build inclusive communities where diversity is valued and a culture of respect is cultivated. Schools today don't even come close to achieving this: this is clearly shown by the data presented today in Friuli Venezia Giulia. And if the goal is far away, it means that the interventions implemented are insufficient. If the objective is truly a "good school," bullying is the real emergency that those who govern us should address as a priority. By enhancing the actions implemented so far, making them structural in the school system and implementing them with those deemed necessary to make school a place of growth for everyone,“ concludes Romani.