Theres a common misconception in the media, and sectors of the public, that trans people, particularly trans women, are only transitioning to gain access to women’s bathrooms for the purposes of committing crime.
So, I’ve been doing some research about what the trans gender crime rate in bathrooms is compared to the crime commited by cis gender people per capita of population. This is a long read, so make a brew and make yourself comfy.
The question, Crime rate statistics for trans people using bathroom of their aligned gender
It is important to address the premise of the question, what are the crime rate statistics for trans people using the bathroom of their aligned gender, as it is based on a harmful misconception.
I have done a lot of research and the articles I found online show that the consensus of governmental, law enforcement agencies and advocacy groups show no evidence of increased safety risks for cisgender people when sharing bathrooms with transgender individuals aligning with their gender identity. In fact, the data indicates the opposite!
Key findings
Lack of evidence for increased studies show no link between trans-inclusive bathroom policies and an increase in crime within these spaces. Links below.
Nondiscrimination laws have been in place for extended periods, both in the UK and worldwide, without a rise in public safety incidents in restrooms or locker rooms.
An increased risk for transgender individuals has been shown that transgender people are disproportionately more likely to experience harassment, verbal abuse, physical assault, and sexual assault when using public restrooms. This is when they use the bathroom of their aligned gender.
This risk is greatly increased when they are forced to use facilities that do not align with their gender identity.
A significant percentage of transgender individuals report being denied access to restrooms, facing verbal harassment as well as being denied, and even physical or sexual assault while trying to use or while using toilets aligned with their gender, and more so when using bathrooms of their non aligned gender.
Studies also show that restricting transgender students’ access to bathrooms aligning with their gender identity has been associated with higher rates of verbal, physical and sexual assault against them.
This is also true of binary people who neither align with male or female genders.
Statistics that transgender individuals, as victims of crime, show that transgender people are significantly more likely to be victims of violent crime compared to cisgender individuals.
This is true in all spaces not just bathrooms.
One study has found that transgender individuals were over four times more likely to experience violent victimization or assault, both verbal and physical, than cisgender people.
In some countries this is much higher and the murder rate of trans gender people is show to be higher in those countries. Particularly, South America.
Both transgender men and women experience higher rates of violent victimization than their cisgender counterparts.
Households with a transgender person also report higher rates of property victimization. This statistics also shows that the crime rate on siblings is higher in this category.
Focusing on real issues, such as law enforcement and sexual assault advocates in areas with trans-inclusive policies consistently state that bathroom bans do not enhance safety. For cis gender people or trans people.
It’s worth emphasising that harming anyone in a public restroom is already illegal.
I could not find any per capita crime rates showing any crime rates comparing transgender individuals as perpetrators versus cisgender individuals in bathrooms. They are not collected or not available, likely because the data does not support the premise of transgender individuals being a significant threat in these spaces.
However, data on victimisation reveals a stark disparity and that transgender individuals experience violent victimization at a rate of 86.2 per 1,000 people, compared to 21.7 per 1,000 people for cisgender individuals. This is a worldwide figure.
Conclusion
Any focus should be on the safety and well-being of all individuals. ALL INDIVIDUALS, not just transgender individuals.
Policies that restrict bathroom access for transgender people do not enhance safety for cisgender individuals and, in fact, increase the risk of harm for transgender people. The safety of all is paramount.
A ban on bathroom use for trans gender people will also harm cis gender people who may not fit the stereotypical gender conformity, or have features which do not align with their chosen bathroom. This is going to cause issues for those people when others wave their opinions about!
The available evidence indicates that transgender individuals are far more likely to be victims of crime, in public restrooms, than perpetrators.
Web sources
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/ma-public-accommodations/?hl=en-GB
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/ncvs-trans-victimization/?hl=en-GB
https://transequality.org/issues/resources/transgender-people-and-bathroom-access?hl=en-GB
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7958056/?hl=en-GB
These links above are general world wide information, mainly links from the USA, but the links shown below are more specific to the UK as a whole, again along with website links.
UK based information
While specific UK-based statistics aren’t available directly, comparing crime rates of transgender individuals in bathrooms vs cisgender individuals, the general trends and findings align with the information provided above.
Here are some of the links to websites I’ve found that offer related information and UK-specific data:
Stop Hate UK
This organisation provides information and support regarding hate crimes, including those targeting transgender people. Their website includes statistics and reports on the prevalence of transgender hate crimes in the UK.
https://www.stophateuk.org/about-hate-crime/transgender-hate/
https://www.stophateuk.org/about-hate-crime/sexual-orientation-and-transgender-identity/
GOV.UK (Government Statistics)
The official UK government website publishes statistics on various aspects of crime, including hate crimes.
While specific data on transgender individuals as perpetrators in bathrooms is unlikely, I found a few reports on hate crimes motivated by transgender identity.
(This report provides broader crime statistics by sex, which can be useful context.)
(This provides data on victimisation based on sexual orientation and sex, which can offer some related insights.)
West Yorkshire Police
(Information via a freedom of information request)
This response to a Freedom of Information request provides data on recorded transgender hate crimes in the West Yorkshire area.
While geographically specific, it highlights the focus of law enforcement on crimes against transgender people.
Galop
This organisation specialises in supporting LGBT+ victims of crime.
Their website contains statements and information related to the safety and rights of transgender individuals, including concerning bathroom access.
UK Parliament Committees
The link below provides written evidence submitted to parliamentary committees, which includes data and analysis on the offending rates of transgender individuals in the UK prison population.
It’s important to note that this focuses on those within the criminal justice system and not specifically bathroom-related crime.
https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/18973/pdf/
Key information from these UK-based resources
Hate crimes against transgender people are a documented issue in the UK, and these are increasing in some areas and are bound to get worse due to the Supreme court Vs transgender people ruling in April 2025.
The focus of concern and data collection in this document is primarily on the victimisation of transgender individuals, not their perpetration of crimes in bathrooms.
There is an ongoing discussion in the UK regarding bathroom access for transgender individuals, often framed around safety and inclusivity.
Organisations like Galop highlight the fear and risk faced by transgender people when using public restrooms.
Government statistics on crime generally focus on sex (male/female) and are beginning to include data on hate crimes based on transgender individuals.
In general it’s crucial to remember that the lack of data supporting the idea of transgender people being a significant threat in bathrooms in the UK mirrors the findings globally.
The real issue is the safety and well-being of transgender individuals who face disproportionate risks in public spaces.
Again,. I will say that I am in not saying women should not be safe in single sex spaces. Quite the contrary, that Trans Women are not the issue here.
