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Date Posted: 11:37:40 06/23/01 Sat
Author: lyn
Subject: My first post....

'allo 'allo! Found this which I think you guys would be interested in....

"Torture Based On Sexual Identity - An Unacknowledged Global Shame"

Tortured, ill-treated, sexually assaulted, forcibly subjected to medical or psychiatric treatment, forced to flee their home countries in terror -- the world over, lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are at particular risk of human rights violations because of their sexual identity, Amnesty International said today.

In a new report launched today the organization describes the plight of the thousands of people who are tortured and ill-treated because their real or perceived sexuality is seen as threatening social order. The report includes documented examples from some 30 countries, but the full extent of the problem is undoubtedly much larger. In over 70 countries same-sex relations are considered a crime, and in some instances they incur the death penalty.

"Despite being a widespread occurrence across continents and cultures, the torture and ill-treatment suffered by LGBT people is surrounded by a conspiracy of silence," Amnesty International said, stressing that this is due to the social stigma often attached to homosexuality and transsexuality.

Generalised tolerance of abuses against LGBT people, fear of retaliation and reluctance by the victims to gain exposure, are some of the factors contributing to this silence. Incidents of sexual identity-based ill-treatment remain largely unreported and under investigated, and those responsible are seldom brought to justice.

Alongside the heightened risk of torture and ill-treatment LGBT people run at the hands of state agents in police stations and prisons, they are also vulnerable to physical and psychological violence -- often amounting to torture -- in the community and even in the family. The prevalence of sexism and homophobia in society means that lesbians are at particular risk of abuse, including being forced into marriage or sexual relationships with men.

"While some governments take an active role in fuelling homophobic violence in society through inflammatory statements and institutionalised discrimination, many more share responsibility for it through lack of action," Aÿ

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