Lesbian and Gay Asylum Seekers Victimised Again
A number of reports have been published this week that show serious homophobia by the Home Office towards Asylum Seekers coming to the UK.
At the start of this year there were a significant number of complaints regarding the treatment of LGBT asylum seekers resulting in an investigation. Questions included: Did you put your penis into x's backside?" and "When x was penetrating you, did you have an erection?"
Gay and Lesbian people often face unfair questioning that would not be asked had they been seeking asylum as heterosexual.
The report where 112 asylum seekers were interviewed revealed that there is still discrimination. 10% revealed that they experienced questioning which was insensitive, graphic and unnecessary.
What I still find most shocking and incomprehensible is why a person’s sexuality is at all relevant when seeking asylum in the UK. Why no one has posed this question continues to baffle me?! Whether or not the questioning regarding sexuality is explicit, implicit or simply a question they should not be focussing on this. Yes they may be claiming asylum due to their sexuality being frowned upon in their country. Still the need to prove ones sexuality is virtually impossible. For one you can be lesbian or gay without ever having had sex with anyone else. For another, details of their sex lives would not necessarily prove their sexuality.
The report also revealed that one asylum seeker did not meet the “lesbian” stereotype and therefore was less believable as one. The Home Office needs some serious education. Although they supposedly work with LGBT organisations such as Stonewall and the like, this clearly is not enough.
There needs to be clear guidelines and these must be adhered to without steering away from the requirements.