Gender-based violence experienced by transgender people in China: A scoping review

Background Transgender (trans) people face a disproportionate global burden of gender-based violence (GBV). The socio-political context in China indicates that trans people there also face an elevated risk of experiencing GBV compared to cisgender people. Our scoping review examines GBV experienced by trans people in China to identify evidence gaps and inform future research, intervention, and policy. Methods We searched four English databases and three Chinese databases for peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative articles on GBV experienced by trans people in China between 1/1/2015 and 1/7/2024. Results Fourteen English-language papers were included. Twelve studies were quantitative, and two were qualitative. Studies focusing on transmasculine and/or non-binary individuals were scarce. Multiple forms of GBV (e.g., verbal, physical, sexual, emotional/psychological) towards trans people were identified. The most frequently studied GBV types were intimate partner violence and caregiver/family violence, with estimated prevalence ranging from 44.9% to 65.6% and 44.2% to 92.8%, respectively. GBV was found to be associated with poor mental and sexual health. Conclusions Whilst prevalence estimates vary, GBV was found to be commonly reported by trans people in China and associated with significant adversities, demanding multilevel interventions. Future research should employ diverse methodologies with a broader demographic coverage to strengthen the evidence base.