At least 281 trans and gender diverse people were murdered this year, heartbreaking data has revealed.

An update to Transgender Europe and Central Asia’s (TGEU’s) annual report on global violence against trans people was published earlier this week in the lead-up to Trans Day of Remembrance (20 November), an international day of mourning for those killed in transphobic hate crimes.

The data, from TGEU’s Trans Murder Monitoring Unit, showed that 281 trans and gender diverse people were reported murdered between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025.

Since 2009, TGEU’s monitoring has now recorded 5322 murders worldwide.

While the total recorded number is down from last year’s 350 reported killings, researchers say this doesn’t necessary signal increased safety, but rather a “growing invisibility” in how these murders are reported.

Black and Brown trans people remain a tragically overrepresented group in the year-on-year report, with 88 per cent of cases collated between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2025 featuring a trans person of colour.

Sex workers are the most targeted occupation at 34 per cent, though there has been a notable rise in attacks against activists or movement leaders, who are the second most targeted group at 14 per cent.

An overwhelming 90 per cent of reported murders were feminicides, meaning the victim was a trans woman or transfeminine person.

TGEU noted that trans victims are often misgendered in media coverage or police reports which makes keeping track of all reported killings increasingly difficult. As a result, it said the real number of trans people lost to violence is “likely far higher.”

“Since 2020, I’ve noticed a drop in this type of news, which may be due to invisibility of these incidents or increased underreporting,” Sayonara Nogueira, one of TGEU’s research partners, said.

“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.”

Majority of trans hate crimes aren’t reported

In the UK, the Home Office claimed the number of recorded anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes had decreased compared to last year. However, policy changes regarding hate crime reporting, human rights groups alleged, likely affected the data.

Stop Hate UK also notes that 88 per cent of trans people do not report the hate crimes they experience due to rising distrust of police.

Deekshitha Ganesan, TGEU’s policy manager, expressed particular concern over the rising number of killings against campaigners, which has doubled over the last two years.

“This rise is a deliberate attempt to silence those defending freedom and equality,” they 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 senior research officer Freya Watkins similarly called on officials to do more in protecting trans people from violence, adding: “Every murdered activist represents a silenced community.”

The organisation called on international institutions to support trans campaigners’ right to continue organising and advocating for human rights “without fear.”

It also called for the decriminlisation of sex work to help “ensure labour protections for trans and gender-diverse people.”

Trans Day of Remembrance vigils to take place tonight

Candlelight vigils memorialising murdered trans people are held across the globe every year as part of Trans Day of Remembrance.

During the services, organisers typically read out the names of those lost to transphobic violence in the past year, followed by speeches from pillars of the community.

Green Party leader and staunch trans ally, Zack Polanski, is set to speak during the TDOR vigil in Trafalgar square this evening, hosted by Trans Legal Clinic.

Not A Phase, a trans non-profit organisation in the UK which is hosting a vigil in Soho, London, urged people to prioritise their mental health during the day.

“If you can’t make it to an in-person vigil, take time for yourself by lighting a candle at home or create a moment to reflect & commemorate remembrance day in a way that feels most meaningful to you,” it wrote in an Instagram post.

“We know TDOR can be tough for our community, so we hope you can take any time you need for yourself today – even if it means taking a screen break, doing some self care, or calling someone close to you to check in.”

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