The Trevor Project: Teen Suicide Prevention
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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The Trevor Project was founded by James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski and Randy Stone, the creators of the 1994 Academy Award-winning short film, TREVOR, which aired on HBO. TREVOR is the story of a gay 13-year-old boy who, when rejected by friends because of his sexuality, makes an attempt to take his life. The filmmakers wanted to include information on crisis intervention resources as they believed some of the program's young viewers might be facing the same kind of crisis as Trevor, and began to search for a support line to be broadcast during the airing. They discovered that no such helpline existed, and decided to dedicate themselves to forming an organization to promote acceptance of LGBTQ youth, and to aid in crisis and suicide prevention among that group.

 

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FACTS ABOUT SUICIDE

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.

• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24. [1]

• LGB youth are 4 times more likely, and questioning youth are 3 times more likely, to attempt suicide as their straight peers. [2]

• Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers. [3]

• Nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one quarter report having made a suicide attempt. [4]

• LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection. [5]

• 1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9-12) seriously considered suicide in the past year. [6]

• Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average. [7]

SOURCES:

[1] CDC, NCIPC. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. (2010) {2013 Aug. 1}. Available from:www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars.

[2] CDC. (2011). Sexual Identity, Sex of Sexual Contacts, and Health-Risk Behaviors Among Students in Grades 9-12: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

[3] CDC. (2011). Sexual Identity, Sex of Sexual Contacts, and Health-Risk Behaviors Among Students in Grades 9-12: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

[4] Grossman, A.H. & D'Augelli, A.R. (2007). Transgender Youth and Life-Threatening Behaviors. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behaviors.37(5), 527-37.

[5] Family Acceptance Project™. (2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in white and Latino lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Pediatrics. 123(1), 346-52.

[6] CDC. (2011). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance – United States, 2011. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

[7] IMPACT. (2010). Mental health disorders, psychological distress, and suicidality in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths. American Journal of Public Health. 100(12), 2426-32.

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    The Trevor Project Story:

    In 1994, producers Randy Stone and Peggy Rajski saw writer/performer James Lecesne bring to life Trevor, a character he created as part of his award-winning one-man show WORD OF MOUTH. Convinced Trevor's story would make a wonderful short film, Stone and Rajski invited Lecesne to adapt it into a screenplay. Rajski directed the movie and TREVOR went on to win many prestigious awards including the Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short Film. Peggy Rajski The Oscar-winning film eventually launched a national movement. When producer Randy Stone secured an airing on HBO with Ellen DeGeneres hosting, director/producer Peggy Rajski discovered there was no real place for young people like Trevor to turn when facing challenges similar to his. She quickly recruited mental health experts and figured out how to build the infrastructure necessary for a nationwide 24-hour crisis line, and writer James Lecesne secured the funds to start it.

     

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    On the night their funny and moving coming-of-age story premiered on HBO in 1998, these visionary filmmakers launched the Trevor Lifeline, the first national crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people in crisis have reached out to The Trevor Project's multiple in-person and online life-saving, life-affirming resources--Trevor Lifeline, TrevorChat, TrevorSpace and Trevor Education Workshops. The Trevor helpline became the first nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ youth. The Trevor Project also provides online support to young people through the organization's Website, as well as guidanceand resources to educators and parents.

    For more information visit:

    www.thetrevorproject.org

     

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