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Ways for LGBTQ+ Kids to Stay Safe During Spring Break

With April being a month where many students, both college and high school, are off for spring break, there will be thousands of young people leaving for vacation. It is no secret that spring break is a time where kids party and stay out late, so I want to talk about three different ways for kids to stay safe, specifically young people in the LGBTQ+ community.

First of all, I want to talk about why I am worried specifically about LGBTQ students going on vacation and partying. Queer people are more susceptible to violence and assault. Approximately 22% of bisexual women are sexually assaulted per year as compared to 17% of heterosexual women, also about 40% of gay men experience some kind of sexual violence as compared to about 21% of heterosexual men. Also, trans people of color are more likely to be assaulted in their lifetime with about 24% of trans American Indians and 15% of black trans people experience violence or sexual violence per year.

With these rates of violence against LGBTQ+ people, I feel that it is important to reach out to the people in my community and give them ways to stay safe especially during spring break, which is a time where people are often partying. I want anyone who might read this article to go into spring break prepared to stay safe.

The first and most simple way is to share your location with a trusted friend, a parent or anyone who you might trust to be able to come help you if you are in need. To do this (if you are an iPhone user) you can go into your messages with the person of your choice (this person must also be an iPhone user) and click on the small blue circle with a lowercase “i” in the middle, this is in the top right-hand corner. From there, select “share my location.” Be sure to click on “share my location” and not “send my current location” because the first one is only temporary and the second one is indefinite, that way they can see where you are just in case they might need to come get you or find you.

If you or your trusted friend is not an iPhone user, there are apps available in the google play store that allow you and other people to see where one another are at all times. This will allow you and your friend group to check up on each other.

The second way is with the SafeTrek app. This app allows you to walk alone with a little sense of security. It works like this: you will open the app and get it set up after it has been downloaded. It will ask for your name, your phone number so they can contact you in the case of emergency, and your location for other safety purposes. From there, you can also set up your profile with your date of birth, your emergency contact information as well as your email address and home address. After that, it will show you how to use the app with a practice tutorial.

While you are using the app you can hold down a button on your phone screen while you are walking anywhere by yourself or any other situation in which you might need to notify authorities. If you let go of the button, it will ask for a PIN. After ten seconds, if you do not enter the PIN, the authorities will be notified. This app does cost $2.99/month, but the first month is free for anyone who might just want to use it for spring break.

My final suggestion is simple: just try to be aware of your surroundings and take care of yourself. Not only that, but take care of your friends as well. Your best allies are your friends in these kinds of situations.

Hopefully this information was useful, and I will help some people stay safe this spring break. Get out there and have fun! Just do not forget to take care of yourself and your friends.

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