Posted February 5, Reviewed by Lybi Ma. When Gerri came to me for support, she felt defeated and hopeless. She had been trying to get protection from a partner who was physically and psychologically abusive. But when she reached out to the police, her experiences were minimized or ignored. In one instance, when she called the police after a particularly violent episode, they questioned whether her identity as a trans woman made her possible to be a victim of physical violence.
Unfortunately, discrimination is nothing new to Gerri, who has already experienced a long history of discrimination since coming out five years ago. She has been denied access to a domestic violence shelter because of her gender identity and faced a constant uphill battle trying to find healthcare providers who were supportive and accessible.
Gerri feels unsafe both in her relationship and within the systems that were supposed to protect her. Transgender people, especially trans women of color, are already disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence. These policies increase already present barriers to accessing services: Trans individuals already face challenges when accessing shelters, healthcare, or legal services due to discrimination, lack of understanding, or a lack of staff training.
The criminalization of gender identity and expression increases vulnerability. Laws that criminalize or stigmatize gender identity or expression—such as those banning gender-affirming healthcare for minors or restricting access to gender-affirming care—can isolate trans people and make them more dependent on potentially abusive partners.
Trans individuals who already face discrimination and harassment in many aspects of life may be more reluctant to report abuse due to the fear of being disbelieved or further criminalized for their gender identity.
