50% Of Trans Women Do Not Report Their Domestic Abuse- I was One

Trigger warning: This Article discusses issues such as physical assault, domestic abuse and rape. Reader discretion is advised.

Transgender women are disproportionately impacted by instances of intimate partner domestic abuse, but the statistics are likely far higher, as the majority of victims never report.

Studies across two nations, the UK and US, both report that violence against transgender women by an intimate partner show that a staggering 50% - 1 in every 2- experience domestic abuse in their lifetimes. However, more concerning is that most never report events of their abuse or their abuser.

Another study by the Gender Law Center explains the myriad of reasons that transgender women never report; The most significant reason remains a fear of prejudice by responding authorities. Many women fear being treated by police as a male in a relationship perceived as gay, or that a conflict with an abusive partner will escalate by means of retaliation if their abuser is humiliated by being judged as a homosexual. Trans women are afraid of being mocked, degraded or laughed at by authorities if they report their abuser, and unfortunately, not without good reason. There is repeated precedent of police not taking the abuse of transgender women seriously- even laughing as it occurs.