Third of young British LGBTQ+ people experience abuse by relatives

Exclusive: survey finds hidden epidemic' of people humiliated, outed or shunned by family over their sexuality or gender identity

Young LGBTQ+ people in the UK are facing a hidden epidemic" of abuse by close family members based on their sexuality or gender identity, according to a study.

Nearly one in three LGBTQ+ people have experienced abuse - ranging from verbal harassment to threats of homelessness and physical violence - by a relative, most often their own parents, with two-thirds of them aged under 18 when the abuse first occurred, research for the anti-abuse charity Galop found.