It's been pretty clear for awhile that transphobia is on the rise.
You may think so, but that does not account for the rise in numbers, where other factors may well be playing into it far more.
First, as the number of transpersons rises, so to will any aggregate statistics involving them.
Second, and more importantly, a rise in reporting of crimes may in fact - and often is - be the result of greater public awareness, and might even be the result of the crime occurring less.
Third, it might not be a trans issue at all. The number one spot for these murders seems to be Rio, where the murder rate for the general population is pretty much off the hook.
From the U.S. State Department,
Crime throughout Brazil has reached very high levels. The Brazilian police and the Brazilian press report that the rate of crime continues to rise, especially in the major urban centers – though it is also spreading in rural areas. Brazil's murder rate is more than four times higher than that of the U.S. Rates for other crimes are similarly high. The majority of crimes are not solved. There were rapes reported by American citizens in 2008.
There are about 21 murders a day in Rio, perhaps the most dangerous city in the world, so that's about 8,000 a year. 55 trans persons, in a very ->-bleeped-<- city, many involved in crime, is less than 1% of the murders. So that's a low rate in fact.
