User:JacobCameronBA/sandbox

Efects of violence and aggression against transgender people
Aggression and violence against transgender people is perpetrated intentionally through physical violence or bodily harm, sexual violence or assault, and verbal or emotional abuse. Aggression and violence can also include victimization, bullying, harassment, and multiple forms of stigma such as discrimination. A meta-analysis reported that these forms of aggression and violence enacted against transgender people can occur at each developmental stage in life. More so, that one, or multiple kinds of abuse are likely to take place throughout a transgender person’s life. Abuse against transgender people can come from many different sources including family, friends, partners, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances, strangers, and the police.

Polyvictimization is experiencing multiple forms of victimization throughout a person’s life, such as physical or sexual violence, bullying, parental neglect or abuse, etc. An adequately large group of transgender, gender variant, and sexual minority adolescents (TGSMA) were surveyed and researchers found that TGSMA and cisgender female adolescents were significantly more likely to have experienced polyvictimization when compared to their cisgender heterosexual male peers. The data was also used to compile groups of family traits that were more associated with polyvictimization in TGSMA: (1) families that had higher than average levels of violence and adversity in their life, (2) families that gave their child higher than average levels of microagressions and lower levels of microaffirmations, and (3) families that had average levels of violence and adversity, and also gave their child higher levels of microaffirmations. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms reported by TGSMA were the significant link between those grouped by their family experiences and past-year polyvictimization.

Posttraumatic stress disorder is considered by the American Psychiatric Association to be an anxiety related disorder that comes from experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event or stressor, such as actual or threatened death, sexual violence, natural disasters, and crime. Research supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) assessed lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adolescents and noted that those who had moderate to high, and steady or increasing rates of victimization and verbal or physical threats were at heightened risk for developing PTSD. A population based study examined transgender and gender variant (TGV) adolescents who reported experiencing relational and physical bullying victimization, as well as various forms of emotional distress. The group that experienced the most bullying victimization and emotional distress were the biologically male youth whom others perceived as very, or mostly feminine. However, all groups that were perceived as anything other than very, or mostly masculine, regardless of their biological sex, were at increased risk for relational bullying victimization, depression, and suicidal ideation. Repeatedly, research on the effects of aggression and violence against TGV youth and young adults shows - when compared to their cisgender peers - higher rates of PTSD, depression, non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation, intent, and plan, higher rates of substance use (cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana), trauma, skipping school due to safety concerns, and poorer health outcomes.

In adulthood, the effects of aggression and violence against transgender people has also been documented in many aspects of life, such as mental and physical health and relationships. A systematic review completed in 2018 examined 77 studies that reported mental health disparities and social stress felt by TGV adults. Their research found associations between TGV identity and anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use, and suicidality along with social stress factors such as violence, discrimination, and exclusion.