A Ghanaian man, using the pseudonym Ibrahim for safety reasons, has bravely shared his harrowing experience of how he has endured repeated assaults in his community due to his sexual orientation.
Ibrahim, who identifies as Muslim, has recounted being targeted multiple times by assailants in his neighbourhood over the years.
According to him, these attacks have intensified this year in the wake of Parliament’s passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ laws by Ghana’s parliament.
Just around when discussions around the passage of the bill dubbed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values intensified, Ibrahim was attacked and subsequently after the passage of the bill in February, he saw another attack.
The first incident occurred on January 22nd, around the Sen Cinema Mosque at Alajo North in Accra, around 5 pm.
Four months later, on April 12, 2024, during the 3music Sallafest Concert at Alajo T Junction, Accra, Ibrahim faced another violent attack.
In both instances, Ibrahim asserts that the assaults were motivated by his sexual orientation, a facet of his identity that had remained largely undisclosed within his community until recently.
Living in constant apprehension of further attacks, Ibrahim has resorted to secluding himself indoors for safety.
He laments the lack of a support network within his community, with only a handful of understanding individuals residing outside its confines.
However, fear of reprisal prevents him from seeking solace or companionship beyond his immediate surroundings.
In an exclusive interview, Ibrahim expressed his profound sense of isolation and the psychological toll inflicted by the persistent threat of violence.
He is forced to navigate his daily life under the shadow of fear, unable to freely engage with the world around him for fear of grave physical harm.
