Intimate Partner Violence and the Trans Community
This explainer provides information on intimate partner violence in relationships where one or both partners are transgender. Intimate partner violence is gender-based violence caused by a current or former intimate partner or spouse, which can include physical abuse, stalking, sexual violence, financial, emotional, spiritual abuse, coercive control, reproductive coercion, and cyberviolence. Trans survivors may experience unique warning signs and abuse tactics, such as threats to withhold gender-affirmative hormones, controlling how a partner expresses their gender, and denial that abuse can occur with a transgender partner. Barriers to seeking help may include fear of revealing their trans identity or that their identity will not be respected by support organizations. Unfortunately, certain shelters or support organizations may turn away trans women, and there is limited research on IPV for trans survivors in Canada. According to a 2019 survey by Trans PULSE, 3 in 5 trans women experienced IPV since 16 years of age, and one in three trans women was forced or pressured into non-consensual sexual activity.
December 2022
Intimate Partner Violence and the Trans Community
