MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil records highest number of deaths of trans people in the world

Brazil topped the list of murdered trans people for the 14th year in a row

In 2022, 131 trans and transvestite people were murdered all across Brazil, making it the country with the most deaths of people of this community for the 14th consecutive year, Agencia Brasil reported. In addition to the 131 killings, other 20 people took their own lives due to discrimination and prejudice.

According to the Dossier on Murders and Violence against Brazilian Transvestites and Transsexuals of the National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals (Antra), Mexico and the United States came in second and third, respectively.

The data are part of the document released on Thursday, in a ceremony at the Ministry of Human Rights. Only one transgender man was killed while all the other victims were trans women, the document pointed out. The youngest person murdered was only 15 years old. Almost 90% of the victims were between 15 and 40 years old.

Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeida said the data showed a “tragedy,” but represented the opportunity to change the reality in which transsexuals and transvestites currently live.

“The fact that we have a report like this points to the possibility of thinking about overcoming this tragedy. Having the knowledge, having the data, having the possibility to look this problem in the face, brings us the perspective of change, of transformation,” he said. “When we talk about gender and sexuality, we are accused of being identitarian. I ask these people if it is possible to build a country with the numbers we see now,” he added.

According to Antra's Political Articulation Secretary Bruna Benevides, factors such as the absence of actions to confront violence against LGBTQIAP+ people contribute to this picture. The lack of data and government underreporting can also contribute to an inaccurate scenario over the years, besides making it difficult to identify the accused.

“How much visibility have trans people had? If you pick up the phone and look up on Google or any other mechanism the word 'transvestite,' eight out of 10 news stories are about violence and that scenario has to change. We are front lines to be seen, but we are also front lines to be killed,” Benevides said.

According to the survey, in the 131 murders last year, 32 suspects were identified. The dossier indicates that most of the suspects do not usually have a direct, social, or affective relationship with the victim. Besides, “police and judicial practices are still characterized by a lack of rigor in the investigation, identification, and arrest of suspects.

”The absence, precariousness, and fragility of data is constant, often intentionally used to conceal or manipulate the idea of a decrease in cases in a certain region,” says the survey.

The document also pointed out that 61% of the murders occurred during the first semester of 2022. In absolute numbers, Pernambuco was the state with the most murders, with 13 cases, followed by São Paulo (11), Ceará (11), Minas Gerais (9), Rio de Janeiro (8), and Amazonas (8).

The profile of the victims in Brazil is the same as in other years: black and impoverished trans and transvestite women. Prostitution is the most frequent source of income. Among the victims, 76% were black and 24% were white. The survey shows that trans women and transvestites are up to 38 times more likely to be murdered compared to trans men and non-binary people.

“At least 54% of the murders were directed against transvestites and trans women who act as sex workers, the ones most exposed to direct violence and who experience the stigma that marginalization processes impose on these professionals,” the document also pointed out.

(Source: Agencia Brasil)