134 NATIONAL TRANSGENDER DISCRIMINATION SURVEY
SOCIAL SERVICES
The survey asked respondents to report on their experiences with a variety of social services: rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters or programs, mental health clinics and drug treatment programs. Respondents reported mistreatment with all of these services, including unequal treatment, verbal harassment/ disrespect and physical assault. For purposes of demographic breakdowns and analysis, the lower number of those who utilized these services creates the problem of sample sizes too small within various demographic groups to conduct a complete analysis. Respondents reported unequal treatment (5%), verbal harassment/disrespect (4%), and physical assault (1%) when utilizing rape crisis centers. When being housed in or utilizing domestic violence shelters or programs, respondents reported unequal treatment (6%), verbal harassment/disrespect (4%), and physical assault (1%).9 In drug treatment programs, respondents reported unequal treatment (3%), verbal harassment/disrespect (4%), and physical assault (1%). Higher rates of unequal treatment and verbal harassment/ disrespect were reported with mental health clinics. Eleven percent (11%) of respondents reported unequal treatment and 12% reported verbal harassment/disrespect. One percent (1%) reported physical attack or assault.
“It is a lonely place filled with seemingly endless scorn, ridicule and humiliation and the constant threat of violence.�