Hate Crimes Against Transgender People Rise in U.S., UCLA Williams Institute Reports

A new report from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law reveals a concerning increase in hate crimes and violence targeting transgender and nonbinary individuals in the United States. The findings, based on data from government sources, surveys, and community-based organizations, highlight a growing trend of anti-transgender bias and its real-world consequences.

Growing Numbers of Transgender Adults and Youth

In 2025, the Williams Institute estimated that 2.1 million adults in the U.S. Identify as transgender, representing 0.8% of the adult population [1]. This includes approximately 698,500 transgender women, 730,500 transgender men, and 707,100 transgender nonbinary individuals. Researchers also estimate that 723,700 youth aged 13-17 identify as transgender. Notably, people of color are disproportionately represented within the transgender community, with 43.8% of transgender adults identifying as people of color, compared to 40.1% of the general population [1].

California: A State-Level View of Anti-Transgender Violence

Data from California demonstrates a clear upward trend in anti-transgender hate crimes. The California Department of Justice began tracking these crimes in 1999, recording 13 anti-transgender hate crime events that year. By 2024, that number had risen to 73 [1]. The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations shows an even more dramatic increase, reporting 8 anti-transgender hate crimes in 2000 and 102 in 2024, the highest number ever recorded in the county [1].

Survey data from the California Health Interview Survey indicates that 19% of transgender adults experienced at least one hate act in the past year, compared to only 7% of cisgender adults [1]. A 2024 Williams Institute study of 322 transgender and nonbinary people in Los Angeles found that 26% reported experiencing verbal harassment, physical attacks, or unwanted sexual contact at work due to their identity [1].

National Trends in Anti-Transgender Hate Crimes

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also documented a nationwide increase in anti-transgender hate crimes. Between 2018 and 2024, the FBI recorded an increase from 184 to 527 hate crimes involving anti-transgender and anti-gender nonconforming bias [1]. The proportion of all hate crimes motivated by gender identity bias also rose from 2.2% in 2018 to 3.9% in 2024 [1].

Violence Against Transgender Individuals: A Broader Perspective

A 2025 Williams Institute analysis of National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data revealed that transgender people experience violence at a rate of 93.7 per 1,000 persons, significantly higher than the rate of 21.1 per 1,000 among non-LGBT individuals [1]. A 2021 Williams Institute national survey found that nearly half of transgender people (47.6%) reported being physically attacked or sexually assaulted, and 45.1% had property damaged, stolen, or were robbed [1].

Reports from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) further illustrate the severity of the issue. In 2017, NCAVP documented 52 hate-related homicides, with 27 victims identifying as transgender or gender nonconforming, and 22 of those being transgender women of color [1].

Disproportionate Impact on Transgender Women of Color

Across multiple studies and reports, transgender women of color consistently experience a disproportionately high risk of violence and hate crimes. A study by Lantz et al. Found that of 305 documented homicides of transgender people in the U.S. Between 2010-2021, 92 were either confirmed or suspected hate crimes. The majority of victims were Black (70.5%) or Hispanic/Latinx (16.1%) [1].

The Williams Institute was founded in 2001 and is celebrating its 25th anniversary [1]. The UCLA School of Law hosted a gala in 2025 to support the institute’s research [2].