At least 100 trans and gender diverse people have already been murdered in the first four months of 2016, a new report reveals.

It’s the highest number registered since 2008.

Transgender Europe (TGEU) published the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project update on Tuesday (17 May), the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), to raise awareness of the discrimination and violence LGBTI people fall victim to around the world.

In total, 2115 trans and gender diverse people have been murdered between 1 January 2008 and 30 April 2016, with 1654 murders reported in Central and South America.

The lowest numbers were reported in Africa, where only 10 cases of murdered trans people were regiserted, and Oceania with five cases.

‘The TMM figures show only the tip of the iceberg of homicides of trans and gender diverse people on a worldwide scale, as these cases are those found through Internet search and cooperation with trans organisations and activists,’ said TGEU’s Senior Researcher Carsten Balzer/Carla LaGata.

‘In most countries, data on murdered trans and gender diverse people are not systematically produced, and it is impossible to estimate the numbers of unreported cases.’

The highest absolute numbers come from Brazil, which accounts for 845 murders, or 40% of murders of the total since 2008, and 42% of trans people’s deaths in 2016.

In Central and South America, Mexico is in second place, accounting for 247 of the absolute total, followed by Colombia (108), Venezuela (104) and Honduras (80); in North America, the highest number of murdered trans people was reported in the US, with 141 deaths since 2008.

Turkey, where 43 trans people were killed, and Italy (with 34 murders) are the worst offenders in Europe, while in Asia the highest reported numbers came from India (55), the Philippines (40) and Pakistan (35).

All these countries have one thing in common: they have strong trans movements, and civil society organizations, carrying out professional monitoring.

With TGEU cooperating with more organizations and networks around the world, especially in countries in Africa, Asia and South America, Balzer/LaGata also said the numbers registered will continue growing.