Exposure to violence contributes to high rates of suicide thoughts and attempts among transgender people

A new analysis from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law of 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey data finds that among respondents aged 16 and older, 39% reported serious suicide thoughts in the year prior to the survey and 5% had attempted suicide. In comparison, the 2022 National Survey of Drug Use and Health reports that 5% of adults in the U.S. general population have considered suicide and 0.6% have attempted it.

The high prevalence of suicide thoughts and attempts among transgender people stems from elevated exposure to risk factors common in the general population, such as depression, substance misuse, poor health and homelessness, as well as other factors that uniquely affect transgender people - including exposure to violence and harassment, experiences with conversion therapy and hostile policy environments.

For instance, 65% of those who have been physically attacked because they are transgender seriously considered suicide - and 20% attempted it - compared with 38% and 5% of those who did not experience physical violence.

"Negative experiences specific to transgender people add to the risk factors they already share with the general population," said lead author Jody Herman, a senior scholar of public policy at the Williams Institute. "Suicide prevention efforts must target the social structures and institutions that stigmatize transgender people and contribute to the widespread discrimination and violence they face."

The data researched used surveyed more than 92,000 transgender people to examine risk factors for suicide thoughts and attempts in the year prior to completing the survey. For the first time, researchers were able to analyze findings for those aged 16 to 17, as well as for adults.

Read the full report at the Williams Institute website.