Violating bodily boundaries : sexual violence experiences of trans women

Sexual violence is a significant human rights and public health issue, with negative consequences for health and wellbeing (World Health Organization, 2013). International research indicates that trans people experience a significantly increased risk of sexual violence, which includes both sexual harassment and sexual assault, compared to the cisgender population (Blondeel et al., 2018; James et al., 2016). For example, a recent large-scale survey of trans and gender diverse Australians reported that 53.2% had experienced sexual assault compared to 13.3% of the broader Australian population (Callander et al., 2019). Similar rates have been reported in US-based studies (Stotzer, 2009). Trans individuals also experience high rates of verbal abuse and sexual harassment, which has been directly linked to their gender expression (Lombardi, Wilchins, Priesing, & Malouf, 2001; Ussher et al., 2022 a,b). In a recent Australian study, 72% of trans women reported verbal harassment and 79.8% sexual harassment in the last 12 months (Kerr, Fisher, & Jones, 2019), perceived to be associated with gender expression by the majority of trans women surveyed. The aim of this chapter is to examine experiences and consequences of sexual violence for trans women, drawing on existing literature, and the findings of the Crossing the Line Study, a mixed method project based at Western Sydney University, funded by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS).