Analysis finds around two in three trans and gender‑diverse people have experienced physical or sexual violence

A new systematic review has revealed that around two in three trans and gender‑diverse people worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence, highlighting what researchers describe as an “urgent” global public health crisis.

The analysis, published in JAMA Network Open in January 2026, draws on 94 studies involving more than 65,000 participants and presents one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of violence against trans and gender‑diverse adults. The researchers found that 64% of people surveyed had faced physical or sexual violence during their lifetimes, while 60% reported experiences of such violence more recently. 

A complementary report released the same day by the Australian Science Media Centre, summarising the findings for global audiences, likewise confirmed that around two in three trans and gender‑diverse people have experienced either physical or sexual violence, and emphasised that they may be “almost twice as likely” to face such violence compared with cisgender people. 

The meta‑analysis found that lifetime physical violence affected around 36%, while sexual violence affected about 33% of trans and gender‑diverse adults globally. These figures far exceed those measured in many general‑population studies, underscoring the heightened vulnerability of trans communities to interpersonal harm. 

Researchers noted that the high prevalence spans multiple regions and social contexts, reflecting entrenched discrimination, stigma and systemic exclusion. They argue that addressing violence against trans and gender‑diverse communities requires coordinated, evidence‑based prevention and response strategies across healthcare, justice systems and social policy.

The authors of the JAMA review stressed that the findings illustrate an “ongoing pandemic” of violence targeting trans people, and urged governments and international organisations to strengthen protective laws, fund community‑led support services and tackle structural drivers of harm. 

Advocacy groups worldwide have echoed these warnings. Although separate from the meta‑analysis, long‑running monitoring projects such as the Trans Murder Monitoring initiative report persistently high levels of fatal violence globally, reinforcing concerns about the escalating risks faced by trans communities.

The review’s authors insist that the issue should be treated as a pressing public health and human rights concern. They argue that without targeted interventions, the cycle of violence will continue to deepen health disparities and undermine the safety and wellbeing of trans and gender‑diverse people worldwide.