2STNBGN Perspectives on Access to Justice: A Legal Needs Assessment is officially released!
Our research, 2STNBGN Perspectives on Access to Justice: A Legal Needs Assessment is now officially launched.
This study, funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada, brought together, in 2021 and 2022, a sample of just over 700 2STNBGN individuals from across the country. Its aim was to assess the needs, aspirations, and issues faced by these individuals in terms of justice. The researchers made alarming discoveries: for example, 93% of the participants reported experiencing legal problems in their lifetime, with 54% experiencing five or more. A vast majority (73%) testified they faced harassment specifically targeting their 2STNBNG identity, and over 20% reported being victims of police harassment. These issues were generally more prevalent among Indigenous, racialized, immigrant, or disabled participants.
This research report also revealed the hopes and ideals of 2STNBGN individuals, many of whom criticized law enforcement, the Canadian judicial and penal systems, and dreamed of a world without prisons and where community organizations would be adequately funded.
This study is now available online without paywall and publicly accessible, in both French and English.
To download the short “zine” version, click here: FR / ENG
To download the full version, click here: FR / ENG
To read our press release, click here.
See below for resources + further reading
JusticeTrans Resource Zine ENG
JusticeTrans Resource Zine FR
This project draws on the work of other researchers, including the projects listed below.
TRANSforming Justice Trans Legal Needs Assessment Ontario
This project collected data from legal professionals and 2STNBGN community members across Ontario from 2016 to 2017, with goals including assessing the legal needs of trans people in Ontario and identifying access to justice barriers. The final report, released in 2018, can be accessed here.
Trans PULSE Canada Survey
This research, based on previous data collected in Ontario, collected data from people over 14 living in Canada as a gender other than what they were assigned at birth. Survey results are still being released in the form of academic papers, slide sets, community reports, and infographics. More information and results can be found here.
Canadian Legal Problems Survey
This survey is currently being conducted by Statistics Canada to identify the kinds of legal problems people face, how they resolve them, and the impacts these experiences have. The data is expected to be released in early 2022, and more information can be found here.