Policing Black Women and TGNC People
An Intersectional Study of Black Women, Trans and Gender Nonconforming People’s Encounters with Police
Police encounters with Black women, trans, and gender nonconforming people
The vast majority of interactions between police and the community are considered “routine, everyday” encounters: traffic stops, police patrolling neighborhoods and conducting street stops, or responding to calls for assistance. Yet, each of these interactions pose a risk of harm to Black women, trans, and gender nonconforming people.
Using an intersectional framework, the National Black Women’s Justice Institute has examined how “everyday” encounters with police inflict violence and harm on Black women, trans, and gender nonconforming people, including on their emotional wellbeing and perceptions and experience of safety in their communities.
The experiences of cis- and transgender Black women, transmasculine, gender-nonconforming and nonbinary people in police encounters have rarely been the central focus of policing research. As we consider new approaches to public safety, it is important that the experiences of marginalized genders within Black communities are centered in national conversations about policing to ensure we build toward the safety of all Black people in the United States. Our research will:
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Increase awareness of the contexts and contents of Black women, trans, and gender nonconforming people’s encounters with police.
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Elevate and amplify the voices and experiences of Black women, trans, and gender nonconforming people in national discussions about policing.
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Expand the conversation about policing to integrate the experiences of Black women, trans, and gender nonconforming people and show how even interactions that are considered mundane can cause great harm and threaten our perceptions of safety in our communities.
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We highlight some early findings below. A full summary report of the study findings is forthcoming.
Survey participants
NBWJI conducted an online survey that was open to U.S.-based Black women, trans, nonbinary or gender nonconforming people who were at least 18 years of age. Participation was confidential, and eligible participants who completed the survey received a $10 digital gift card. NBWJI surveyed a total of 145 people.​
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86% self-identified as female or cisgender women, 14% as trans (including transmasculine and transfeminine people), genderqueer, gender non-conforming, or nonbinary.
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Most respondents were under the age of 35, with over half (51%) between 25 and 34 years of age and 20% of respondents between 18 and 24 years of age.
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65% identified as heterosexual, and 35% identified as LGBQ or asexual.
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32% im/migrated to the United States.
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20% of respondents reported living with a disability.
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Nearly 37% of the sample reported being a parent or caretaker.
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About 75% of survey respondents reported having an education post-high school diploma.
Early findings
55% of the Black women, trans, nonbinary or gender nonconforming people surveyed have been pulled over by police while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. About 33% have been pulled over at least 4 times in their lives.
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Among those who police had pulled over:
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61% reported experiencing at least one type of harm from the encounter, such as physical harm (use of force), sexual harm (harassment, inappropriate body searches, sexual assault), and/or psychological harm (threats, intimidation, using slurs). 16% reported more than one type of harm. The top reported harm was psychological aggression (33%).
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53% thought that the police officer(s) treated them somewhat unfairly or not fairly at all.
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40% reported at least one type of consequence as a direct result of traffic stops by police, including job loss, involvement with child protective services, ICE involvement, arrest, housing loss, benefit loss, or some other consequence.
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67% have been stopped or questioned by the police while standing, walking, or sitting in a public place, while at home, or sitting in a parked vehicle. About 23% have experienced at least 4 street stops in their lives. Among those who police had stopped or questioned:
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54% reported experiencing at least one type of harm from the encounter, for example psychological aggression, sexual harassment, or physical force. 19% reported more than one type of harm. The top 3 reported harms were psychological aggression (30%), sexual harassment (13%), and inappropriate sexual contact (12%).
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58% thought that the police officer(s) treated them somewhat unfairly or not fairly at all.
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39% reported at least one type of consequence as a direct result of a street stop by police, including job loss, involvement with child protective services, ICE involvement, arrest, housing loss, benefit loss, or some other consequence.
Methodology
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In addition to the survey, NBWJI followed up with some survey participants to conduct in-depth interviews to explore in more detail their experiences and perceptions of their encounters with police, the nature and quality of their interactions, whether force was used during any encounters they had, their perceptions of how police treated them, and the health effects of those interactions.
These surveys and interviews were essentially asking Black women, trans, and gender nonconforming people to recount what for many were traumatic experiences in their lives. The experience of trauma can have a widespread impact on an individual’s life. Trauma can lead to or exacerbate mental illness, substance use, and physical health conditions. Trauma-informed care is an effective way to address the impact of trauma and meet the needs of those who have experienced trauma and violence. Trauma-informed care assesses and understands the widespread impact of trauma and uses evidence-based treatment methods to promote healing.
This is why, acknowledging that experiencing an encounter with police and discussing that experience can be traumatic, NBWJI made mental health counseling, based on trauma-informed care, available to all study participants. This is an important part of research at NBWJI. We approach research through our Black Feminist Framework, which means that it’s important to us that research is generative and healing, instead of extractive as traditional approaches are.
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Contact Dr. Janaé Bonsu-Love for more information.