Facing persecution in Senegal lgbtq+ community seeks refuge in France
Persecution drives Senegal’s LGBTQ+ community to seek asylum in France
Report Family rejection, suffocating social climate, and fear of arrest—since the doubling of prison sentences for homosexuality in March, distress calls from those desperate to flee Senegal have surged. Organizations like Stop Homophobie, SOS Homophobie, and Le Refuge have intensified their support efforts.
Chérif* arrived in France in early June with one overriding thought: he could no longer stay in Senegal. «They would have arrested me,» he insists. For weeks after learning of a partner’s arrest, he lived in constant fear. «As soon as I read about it in the news, all I could think of was escaping.» The case had political implications—the arrested man was reportedly a close associate of Ousmane Sonko, Senegal’s former Prime Minister and current National Assembly President, who championed the bill that doubled prison sentences for homosexuality, signed into law in March. Local media highlighted multiple arrests of alleged partners. «I knew the police would search his phone and find incriminating messages between us,» Chérif explains. «I deleted every trace—messages, photos, anything that could prove my hidden life.»
In Senegal, he says, the atmosphere has become unbearable. At home, in public spaces, on television, and across social media, «everyone was talking about LGBTQ+ individuals,» and hate speech circulated without restraint. «They corrupt the youth, they destroy…
Rising fear and mass exodus
The March legislation—punishing same-sex relations with up to ten years imprisonment—has intensified existing social stigmatization. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, the new law signals not just legal peril but also the normalization of violence. «Before, being gay was illegal but not openly persecuted,» a source within a Dakar-based human rights group explains. «Now, people are being reported by neighbors, family, or even strangers.»
Coordinated efforts to escape
Organizations working with LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in France report a sharp increase in requests for assistance. Stop Homophobie, SOS Homophobie, and Le Refuge have formed a joint emergency network to support those fleeing. «We’re seeing a 300% rise in calls for help from Senegal since the law passed,» says an activist involved in the coordination.
Life in hiding: no safe space left
- Digital surveillance: LGBTQ+ individuals report being monitored online, with police using social media activity as evidence.
- Family pressure: Many are disowned or forced into conversion therapy by relatives.
- Economic blackmail: Extortion is common, with some being threatened with exposure unless they pay.
- Psychological toll: Anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts have spiked among those targeted.