The Victimization of Transgender Individuals

Abstract

The victimization of transgender individuals is not always present in reported crime statistics. The victimizations experienced by this population are often invisible and suffered in isolation. There are many reasons why transgender people do not report their victimization, either to family members and friends or to the various institutions of society such as the police, the physical and/or mental health community, or to other social services providers. The authors explore what is currently known about the extent and nature of the victimization of transgender individuals. They explore the research associated with the role race/ethnicity plays in transgender victimizations, the nuances of victimizations that occur within intimate relationships, the response of the criminal justice system, and the impact of victimization on the transgender community. Possible solutions to the problems identified in the chapter are addressed, not the least of which is to dispel many of the myths associated with transgender individuals.