Passage of Uganda's Anti-Gay Law has led to Tenfold increase in Homophobic Attacks

Passage of the recent anti-LGBT law in Uganda has led to tenfold increase in attacks according to a report by Sexual Minorities Uganda...

Uganda has suffered an alarming increase in attacks on gay, lesbian and transgender people since the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) late last year, research has found.

The report, compiled by Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), detailed an attempted lynching, mob violence, homes burned down, blackmail, lost jobs, arrests, evictions and suicides. The number of recorded incidents had increased tenfold, the group said. At least 25 people were reported to have fled Uganda, seeking asylum in neighbouring Kenya and Rwanda.

“The passing of AHA has given permission to a culture of extreme and violent homophobia whereby both state and non-state actors are free to persecute Uganda’s LGBTI people with impunity,” the report states.

The survey recorded 162 incidents since the legislation was passed by parliament last December. By comparison, Sexual Minorities Uganda recorded only eight incidents in the rest of 2013 and 19 in the whole of 2012.

“[This] represents an increase of between 750% and 1,900% on previous years,” the report notes, “an increase which can only be explained by the passage of the AHA and the virulently homophobic atmosphere this has engendered.”

In four cases, men accused of being gay were kidnapped and tortured. There were 29 incidents where the media “outed” individuals who were later subjected to further persecution.

A 17-year-old boy committed suicide by swallowing rat poison and pills on 3 April because he felt his life had no further value. For more please read the following article...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/12/uganda-anti-gay-law-rise-attacks

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