Associations of physical and sexual violence victimisation, homelessness, and perceptions of safety with suicidality in a community sample of transgender individuals

Abstract

ABSTRACT Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals experience hardship and mistreatment. These experiences may contribute to mental health disparities faced by this community, including suicidality. The present study examined the associations between physical- and sexual-violence victimisation, homelessness, perception of safety, and suicidality among TGNC participants (N= 70) in an LGBTQ health needs assessment of the Central Savannah River Area. Half of the participants endorsed a history of sexual violence victimisation and 41.4% endorsed a history of partner physical violence. Just under one-third (30.3%) of the sample endorsed a history of homelessness. Over half of the sample (52.9%) endorsed a suicidal ideation history, while over one-third (37.1%) of the sample endorsed a suicide attempt history. Sexual violence victimisation was significantly correlated with suicidal ideation and attempt history. Hierarchical regression models including sexual violence victimisation, homelessness, and perception of safety significantly predicted histories of both suicidal ideation and suicide attempts; however, perception of safety was the only significant independent stressor in the models with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt as outcome variables. TGNC suicidality is a complex problem with multiple risk factors. Interventions that adopt an approach that helps to address intra- and interpersonal, social, familial, and community factors may be useful.