Quick Hit: Anti-trans violence results in higher rates of suicidal thoughts and substance abuse

A new study out of Virginia reveals what may seem a bit obvious to some, but I think is actually incredibly important to highlight. Via Think Progress:

The study, conducted by the Center for LGBTQ Evidence-based Applied Research, found that over 70 percent of respondents had a history of suicidal ideation, with about 28 percent having reported a past suicidal attempt. (The National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which had a sample of over 6,000, found that as many as 41 percent of trans people had attempted suicide, whereas only 1.6 percent of the general population has ever done so.) The likelihood and frequency of those attempts significantly related to whether or not they had experienced physical or sexual violence.

Long-standing assumptions that transgender people have high rates of suicide simply because of their gender identity — or better yet, that their gender identity is a mental health issue — is still incredibly prevalent, and obviously problematic. And this study is one of many realities that the truth behind mental health issues and substance abuse within the transgender community is much more complex. Check out the report here.