Prevalence and Correlates of Violence Experienced by Trans Women

Examining the Risks of Multiple Types of Interpersonal Victimization for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming College Students

Recent research has shown that transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals are at risk of experiencing interpersonal violence, yet there may be differences within this group and across victimization types. The current study examined rates of seven types of interpersonal victimization based on six gender identities (cisgender women, cisgender men, trans women, trans men, nonbinary, and another identity) among a national study of college students. Data from the Spring 2021 American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment III (ACHA-NCHA III), a national-level study of U.S. college students, were used. We examined the association between gender identity and seven types of interpersonal violence victimization (violent victimization, sexual victimization, intimate partner violence victimization, stalking, bullying, microaggression, and discrimination) that occurred within the past 12 months. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine if, when controlling for competing factors, gender identity was associated with an increase in the expected odds of victimization for each victimization type. Analyses revealed that TGNC college students reported experiencing a greater amount of all seven types of victimization compared to cisgender college students. These findings corroborate previous research indicating that rates of interpersonal violence are higher among TGNC college students compared to those who identify as cisgender, even after controlling for sexual orientation, related demographic factors, and substance use. Findings from the current study suggest that there are differences within individuals who identify as TGNC in terms of their risk for interpersonal victimization and that rates differ across victimization types. More work is needed to provide tailored prevention programming for TGNC college students.

Social Support and the Association Between Certain Forms of Violence and Harassment and Suicidal Ideation Among Transgender Women - National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women, Seven Urban Areas, United States, 2019-2020

Violence and harassment toward transgender women are associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and social support might moderate such association. This analysis explored the association between certain forms of violence and harassment and suicidal ideation and moderation by social support. Better understanding of these associations could guide mental health services and structural interventions appropriate to lived experiences of transgender women. This cross-sectional analysis used data from CDC's National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women. During 2019-2020, transgender women were recruited via respondent-driven sampling from seven urban areas in the United States for an HIV biobehavioral survey. The association between experiencing certain forms of violence and harassment (i.e., gender-based verbal and physical abuse or harassment, physical intimate partner abuse or harassment, and sexual violence) and suicidal ideation was measured using adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% CIs generated from log-linked Poisson regression models controlling for respondent-driven sampling design and confounders. To examine moderation, the extents of social support from family, friends, and significant others were assessed for interaction with certain forms of violence and harassment; if p interaction was <0.05, stratified adjusted prevalence ratios were presented. Among 1,608 transgender women, 59.7% experienced certain forms of violence and harassment and 17.7% reported suicidal ideation during the past 12 months; 75.2% reported high social support from significant others, 69.4% from friends, and 46.8% from family. Experiencing certain forms of violence and harassment and having low-moderate social support from any source was associated with higher prevalence of suicidal ideation. Social support from family moderated the association between experiencing certain forms of violence and harassment and suicidal ideation (p interaction = 0.01); however, even in the presence of high family social support, experiencing certain forms of violence and harassment was associated with higher prevalence of suicidal ideation. Social support did not completely moderate the positive association between experiencing violence and harassment and suicidal ideation. Further understanding of the social support dynamics of transgender women might improve the quality and use of social support. Policymakers and health care workers should work closely with transgender women communities to reduce the prevalence of violence, harassment, and suicide by implementing integrated, holistic, and transinclusive approaches.

"Just Because I Don't Conform to Societal Norms": A Qualitative Study of Transgender People's Experiences of Domestic Violence and Coping Methods

Background Transgender people experience violence in various forms, primarily domestic violence. The aim of this study was to examine transgender people's experiences of domestic violence and their coping methods. Materials and methods This study was conducted using the phenomenological method, one of the five basic qualitative research methods, with 20 transgender participants who applied to Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey, to start the gender-affirming treatment process. The participants comprised 19 transgender men and 1 transgender woman. A semi-structured interview form was used for data collection. The average interview duration was 75.7 minutes. Audio recordings were used in the interviews, which were then transcribed. The obtained data set was subjected to content analysis. Results As a result of the content analysis, three themes emerged: being a transgender individual and the family, experiences of domestic violence, and methods of coping. According to the study results, the participants had experienced domestic violence of different dimensions, primarily psychological violence. Defined gender roles and societal expectations were determined to trigger violent behaviors. The most frequently used coping methods were giving a direct reaction, seeking instrumental-social support, and ignoring the incidents. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that transgender people experience domestic violence at a high rate and that transphobic behaviors are triggered by societal norms. Our results are particularly noteworthy for clinicians regarding the importance of family support and accurate information for transgender people and the coping methods they use most.