Content warning: this article contains mention of murder and violence.
A recently published report has shown that for the 18th consecutive year, Brazil was the country with the highest number of trans people murdered in 2025.
The Trans Murder Monitoring 2025 report, which has been tracking the reported cases of murders targeting trans and gender-diverse people since 2009, found that 80 trans people were murdered in the South American country – 77 trans women and three trans men or transmasculine people.
Brazil had the highest number of trans people murdered in 2024; however, this year, the country reported 34% less murders, down from 122.
Globally, there were 281 reports of murders of trans and gender-diverse people in 2025, 90% of the victims were trans women and 88% of trans people murdered last year were Black or Brown.
68% of murders of trans people took place in Latin America and the Caribbean. Europe saw five murders while the US reported 31, down from 2024’s figure of 41.
Of all occupations, sex workers were the most targeted group, accounting for 34% of murders, echoing patterns of previous years. Additionally, 2025 also saw a rise in the number of trans activists and movement leaders murdered, accounting for 14% of reports. This figure is up from 9% of cases in 2024 and 6% in 2023.
Transgender Europe (TGEU) Policy Manager Deekshitha Ganesan said this represents a “deliberate attempt to silence those defending freedom and equality.”
She said: “These murders are the most extreme consequence of political discourse that dehumanises trans people. Governments must act now to protect trans human rights defenders and ensure that trans communities can live and organise safely.”
TGEU also warned that underreporting may mean that more trans people have been murdered than reports suggest.
“It’s not possible to claim that the information and results presented here represent all homicides and violence against trans people, due to limitations during monitoring and the lack of government data,” said Sayonara Nogueira, one of TGEU’s research partners.
You can read the full report here.
If you have been affected by this story or are looking to reach out to someone for support, advice or just to talk, there are numerous services available for LGBTQ+ people, listed below, and many offer instant messaging support.
Samaritans
National LGBT+ Helpline
The Switchboard
Dublin Lesbian Line
Belong To
TENI
Aware
Pieta House
Jigsaw
Mental Health Ireland
Garda Confidential Line
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