Trans Day of Remembrance: At least 350 trans people killed globally this year

More than 350 transgender and gender-diverse people have been killed in 2024, a “sobering” report from the Trans Murder Monitoring project to coincide with Trans Day of Remembrance has shown.

Ahead of the Trans Day of Remembrance on Wednesday (20 November), Transgender Europe and Central Asia (TGEU) released its annual report, which showed that 350 trans people had been killed across the globe between 1 October 2023 and 30 September 2024, up from 321 the previous year.

The report added that the data found “concerning” trends when it came to the intersections of racism, xenophobia and prejudice against sex workers: 93 per cent of the victims were Black trans people or trans people of colour, while 46 per cent were transgender sex workers.

The number is one of the highest death tolls since the monitoring project began in 2008, which could be caused by the “concerted efforts of anti-gender and anti-rights movements that instrumentalise and vilify trans people”, according to TGEU.

“We have seen a consistent rise in the levels of online and offline hate speech and hate crimes, especially from political actors and religious and faith leaders, public figures,” a spokesperson for the group said.

“This rise is enabled by the lack of strong hate-crime legislation that protects gender identity and expression, and the manipulative disinformation resulting from the lack of accountability for social media companies on ensuring information integrity.”

Despite the total number of recorded murders having risen above 5,000 since the project began, TGEU claimed the report only offered a “brief snapshot of the actual situation” because many cases go unreported or the victims were misgendered.

Ymania Brown, the project’s executive director, said: “Every year, TGEU compiles data on trans murders globally to underscore just how much trans lives are at significant higher risk than other people.

“This year, as we confront the sobering milestone of 5,000 documented murders since the start of the Trans Murder Monitoring project. that we know of, we, the trans people and communities around the world, are exhausted from repeatedly asking: when will this violence end?

“States must commit to immediate action to counter the surge in anti-trans hate speech and attacks and break this cycle of violence. Our lives depend on it.”

‘Unacceptable and inexcusable’ violence

Not counted in the figures because her death was too recent, was Quanesha “Cocoa” Shantel, a Black trans woman and drag queen who died in North Carolina just days ago. She had recently enrolled in nursing school and was described as “radiant” and “full of joy” by her loved ones.

According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Shantel was the 30th trans or gender-diverse person to be killed in the US this year.

The HRC’s Tori Cooper said: “Like so many of our trans siblings, Cocoa should be with her loved ones today, and I pray that Cocoa’s friends and family find some measure of peace and joy in the memories of her during this extremely difficult time.

“Hateful stereotypes, rhetoric and legislation fuels violence against transgender people. We must demand better of our elected officials as well as each other.”

A 31-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Shantel’s death.

Anyone who has witnessed or experienced a hate crime is urged to call the police on 101, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit the True Vision website. In an emergency, always dial 999.

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