Interpersonal Violence and Passing: Results from a Brazilian Trans-specific Cross-sectional Study

• Published in: Journal of interpersonal violence Vol. 37; no. 15-16; pp. NP14397 - NP14410
• Main Authors: Peixoto, Eduardo Mesquita, de Azevedo Oliveira Knupp, Virginia Maria, Soares, Jesilaine Resende Teixeira, Depret, Davi Gomes, de Oliveira Souza, Cleo, Messina, Maria Eduarda Dantas, de Mello Andrade, Lívia Machado, de Melo, Luciana Catarina Santos, de Figueiredo Bezerra, Damiana, de Castro, Cristiane Regina Viníssius, da Silva, Laylla monteiro Tavares, Fernandes, Biancka, Jalil, Emilia Moreira, Friedman, Ruth Khalili, de Moura Silva, Cláudia, Filho, Edson José Abas, Grinsztejn, Beatriz Gilda Jegerhorn, Moreira, Ronaldo Ismério, de Mattos Russo Rafael, Ricardo, de Souza Velasque, Luciane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.08.2022; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Cross-sectional studies; Domestic violence; Families & family life; Family Violence; Females; Police; Police brutality; Public spaces; Racism; Self Evaluation (Individuals); Suffering; Transgender persons; Violence; Women; Brazil; Rio de Janeiro Brazil; hate crimes Background; domestic violence; community violence; cultural contexts; GLBT
• ISSN: 0886-2605; 1552-6518
• DOI: 10.1177/08862605211005152

Trans women are specifically vulnerable to interpersonal violence. Being perceived as the gender that a transgender person identifies with, defined in some contexts as passing, may influence violence ratings. The EVAS (Violence and Health Self-Evaluation) study was a cross-sectional study that enrolled 121 trans women between 2019 and 2020 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, aiming to investigate the association between self-reported passing and different types of interpersonal violence. We enrolled 121 participants who had a median age of 36.3 (interquartile range [IQR] 13.7). Most of them were Black/mixed (78.5%) and had at least a high school education (63%). Most participants considered themselves as trans women (71.9%). Their median monthly income was $252.50 (IQR $302.50). Only 40 (33.1%) trans women had a main partner. Trans women with high passing had a higher prevalence of family violence and lower prevalence of observed police violence, violence in open and closed public spaces. Participants that reported a high passing had higher prevalence of family violence (p = .016); moreover, they reported observing less frequently police violence in the neighborhood they lived in for the last 12 months (p = .012) as well as having lower rates of suffering violence. Trans women who reported high passing had 81% (56%-92%) lower chance of suffering violence in open public places more than once, while prior racism experience had a positive association with violence in an open public place (aOR = 3.93, 95% CI [.48, 15.40]). Passing seems to protect from violence in public spaces, whilst it increases family violence. Data also suggest that observing police violence and violence in close public spaces. There is an urgent need to better understand the complex relationships around violence and foster its prevention.