Symposia
LGBQT+
Danielle S. Berke, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Hunter College, City University of New York
New York, New York
Maiya Hotchkiss, B.S.
Research Coordinator
Hunter College of the City University of New York
NYC, New York
Violence against trans women and trans femmes is a public health crisis; according to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 47 homicides of trans people, the majority of whom were young Black and/or Latina/Latinx trans femme people, occurred in 2021 alone, making it the deadliest year on record for trans communities. Exposure to violent victimization, discrimination, and other forms of enacted stigma are social determinants of mental health disparities impacting trans women and trans femmes. The need for clinical interventions to interrupt violence towards trans women and trans femmes is urgent. Empowerment self-defense (ESD) training is an evidence-based violence prevention group intervention that has demonstrated efficacy in increasing resistance and deterrence of violence in numerous clinical trials. However, to date, nearly all ESD programming and research has been delivered to and focused on college-aged and educated, upper middle class, white, cisgender women in college settings. We describe preliminary results from a community-engaged clinical trial conducted as part of a project conducted over two phases to tailor and deliver an ESD violence prevention for trans women and trans femme communities in New York City. Participants (N = 39) were enrolled in the five session, 20-hour community-tailored ESD program delivered weekly in three cohorts. To assess preliminary acceptability of the program, participants provided feedback on session content after each treatment session and participated in an exit interview with a member of the research team following treatment. Initial program impacts on violence resistance behaviors and attitudes, empowerment, sexual assertiveness, and sexual victimization were assessed using a self-report measurement battery post-treatment and at six-month follow-up. Trial findings suggest that community members found the program acceptable; session attendance was high (average rate = 71.8%), as were overall program satisfaction ratings (4.6/5). Qualitative responses to weekly feedback forms suggest that participants found the session content to be “valuable” and “informative.” Statistically significant changes in self-report measures of program impact were not observed. However, qualitative analysis of participant exit interviews generated evidence for unique program impact themes not reflected in quantitative data including an increased ability to be present in one's body while afraid, expanded understandings of the meaning of trans identity, and deeper connection to trans community.