Profile and experiences during the incarceration of transgender women and travestis (TGW) in Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study is to describe the sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of a group of transgender women and travestis (TGW) with a history of incarceration and the institutional and social context of this experience in Brazil. METHODS: The analyzed data were derived from the TransOdara Study, a cross-sectional study conducted in five Brazilian capitals from December 2019 to July 2021. Participants were recruited using the Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) technique, in which, after an initial formative and exploratory stage, the first participants were identified; in turn, these participants recruited up to six other transgender women and travestis for the research. The study's outcome was the experience of incarceration throughout life, captured through the question: "Have you ever been arrested in your life?" RESULTS: A total of 1,245 TGW were interviewed, of which 20.3% (n=253) experienced incarceration. Incarceration was more frequent among those aged 33 to 42 years (35.6%), with lower level of education (45.5%, p<0.001), engaged in informal work (30.3%), without a partner (67.2%), and among those who reported illicit drug use (66.4%). The majority (60.9%) of TGW were incarcerated with cisgender men, and the most common reasons for imprisonment were drug trafficking (30.4%) followed by robbery (29.2%). Over a quarter of the interviewees (26.3%) experienced assault, and 13.8% reported experiencing sexual violence during incarceration. CONCLUSION: The results emphasize the high prevalence of incarceration among TGW. This incarceration takes place in male wards and in a context of high rates of physical and sexual violence.

Profile and experiences during the incarceration of transgender women and travestis (TGW) in Brazil: a cross-sectional study / Perfil e experiências durante o encarceramento de mulheres trans e travestis (MTT) no Brasil: um estudo transversal

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of the present study is to describe the sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of a group of transgender women and travestis (TGW) with a history of incarceration and the institutional and social context of this experience in Brazil. Methods: The analyzed data were derived from the TransOdara Study, a cross-sectional study conducted in five Brazilian capitals from December 2019 to July 2021. Participants were recruited using the Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) technique, in which, after an initial formative and exploratory stage, the first participants were identified; in turn, these participants recruited up to six other transgender women and travestis for the research. The study's outcome was the experience of incarceration throughout life, captured through the question: "Have you ever been arrested in your life?" Results: A total of 1,245 TGW were interviewed, of which 20.3% (n=253) experienced incarceration. Incarceration was more frequent among those aged 33 to 42 years (35.6%), with lower level of education (45.5%, p<0.001), engaged in informal work (30.3%), without a partner (67.2%), and among those who reported illicit drug use (66.4%). The majority (60.9%) of TGW were incarcerated with cisgender men, and the most common reasons for imprisonment were drug trafficking (30.4%) followed by robbery (29.2%). Over a quarter of the interviewees (26.3%) experienced assault, and 13.8% reported experiencing sexual violence during incarceration. Conclusion: The results emphasize the high prevalence of incarceration among TGW. This incarceration takes place in male wards and in a context of high rates of physical and sexual violence.

RESUMO Objetivo: O objetivo do presente estudo é descrever as características sociodemográficas e comportamentais de um grupo de mulheres trans e travestis (MTT) com histórico de encarceramento e o contexto institucional e social desta experiência no Brasil. Métodos: Os dados são provenientes do Estudo TransOdara, de delineamento transversal, realizado em 5 capitais brasileiras no período de dezembro de 2019 a julho de 2021. As participantes foram recrutadas pela técnica Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS), onde, após uma etapa inicial formativa e exploratória, as primeiras participantes foram identificadas; elas, por sua vez, recrutavam até outras seis mulheres trans e travestis para a pesquisa. O desfecho do estudo foi a experiência de encarceramento durante a vida apreendido através da pergunta: "Você alguma vez na vida já foi presa?". Resultados: Um total de 1.245 MTT foram entrevistadas. Destas, 20,3% (n=253) experienciaram o cárcere. O encarceramento foi mais frequente entre as entrevistadas de 33 a 42 anos (35,6%), com menor escolaridade (45,5%), em situação de trabalho informal (30,3%) e entre aquelas que reportaram uso de drogas ilícitas (66,4%). A maioria (60,9%) das MTT ficou presa com homens cisgênero, e o motivo da prisão mais frequente foi o tráfico de drogas (30,4%), seguido de roubo (29,2%). Mais de um quarto das entrevistadas (26,3%) sofreu agressão, e 13,8% relataram ter sofrido violência sexual durante o encarceramento. Conclusão: Os resultados destacam a elevada prevalência de encarceramento entre MTT. Este encarceramento se dá em alas masculinas e em um contexto de altas taxas de violência física e sexual.