NOT ONE MORE
VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED BY TRANS WOMEN
The Not One More project was conducted to assess violence against trans women in San Francisco. Research, community advocacy, and the media have long highlighted the extreme violence trans women face due to stigma towards their gender identity and expression. Data from the San Francisco Bay area highlight that trans women face frequent hate crimes, physical violence, and harassment, with heightened vulnerability of trans women of color. These vulnerabilities are exacerbated by systemic factors such as racism, poverty, and limited access to education and employment opportunities. A new wave of legislation to eliminate the rights of trans people in the U.S. began to grow at breakneck speed in 2020. As of 2023, there were more than 500 anti-trans bills circulating throughout state legislatures, and political violence overall is at a peak not seen since the 1970s. The existing underlying violence experienced by community members and the confluence of peak anti-trans legislation and political violence, especially that rooted in rhetoric against the rights of trans people, begged an assessment of whether or not San Francisco was a safe haven for trans women.
INTERACTIVE MAP
This interactive Zip Code map shows the locations where trans women live who participated in the study.
Click once to zoom to a particular Zip Code. Tap or hover to see the data on verbal harassment, sexual assaults, and physical attacks.
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The Not One More study engaged 339 trans women residing in San Francisco from August 2023 to June 2024 to investigate the prevalence of experiences of violence within the last year. Trans women from many all different races, ethnicities, and age groups participated in the study. All trans women had access to gender-affirming healthcare as it is universally available in San Francisco. Most trans women experienced low income, and many had unstable housing, which are effects of pervasive discrimination limiting education and employment opportunities for trans women over many generations that persist today. Trans women were asked about the different types of violence they experienced in the last year, who were the perpetrators, and whether systems, society, and individuals in their lives were there to help them when they experienced violence.
The goal of the Not One More study is to document whether or not trans women experience violence in San Francisco. Through sharing the results of this effort, we aim to mobilize community stakeholders and policymakers to address the systemic factors that undergird violence experienced by trans women, who are central to the fabric of our diverse community and help make our city great. The findings aim to benefit trans women and bring much-needed attention to the experiences of marginalized groups to foster a dialogue on addressing structural oppression in earnest. Most importantly, data shared in this campaign provide evidence for the need for focused interventions and policy changes to combat violence against trans women so we can truly live up to the values and morals we espouse in being a safe haven for all people.
VIOLENCE AND UNSTABLE HOUSING
In 2019 and 2020, researchers looked at the serious challenges that many trans women face with violence and unstable housing. Researchers surveyed 201 trans women in San Francisco and found that more than one-third had experienced some form of violence over the past year. This included different kinds of violence: about 15% experienced abuse from a partner, 25% experienced physical violence, and 17% experienced sexual violence.
Housing issues were also common, with nearly 60% of participants reporting they had been homeless in the last year. Those with unstable housing were more likely to face violence. Risk factors that increased the likelihood of violence included younger age, substance use, and being misgendered (called by the wrong gender).
The study reinforces the need for safe, affordable housing options tailored to trans women, especially for those with fewer resources, to help reduce their risk of violence.