Discrimination and Interpersonal Violence: Reported Experiences of Trans* Undergraduate Students

Under Title IX, institutions of higher education are tasked with ensuring students are protected from gender discrimination. Vulnerabilities of trans* individuals call for inclusion of this student population in its assurance of protection and safety. Previous research shows that trans* individuals, both on and off campuses, are vulnerable to a range of interpersonal violence, including physical and non-physical forms. This study seeks to examine the discrimination experiences and interpersonal violence victimization among trans* undergraduate students in a national sample. In the Fall of 2015, undergraduate students (N = 15,072) participated in the American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment, of which 1.5% (n = 228) identified their gender as trans*. Logistic regression analyses revealed trans* students had significantly higher odds of reporting negative outcomes, compared to non-trans* women, even after adjusting for other demographic variables, such as year in school, racial identity, and sexual orientation. For example, trans* students had significantly increased odds of reporting academic-affecting discrimination and having been verbally threatened, compared to non-trans* women. In addition, trans* students had significantly higher odds of reporting victimization of emotional abuse in a relationship and non-consensual attempted penetration, compared to non-trans* women. Trans* students are vulnerable to a range of victimization experiences that have detrimental effects on health. Implications for campus policy and programming, as well as future research are discussed.