LGBTQI+ people come to the UK fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries and hoping to rebuild their lives in safety here.
However, this government continues to place them in inappropriate and unsafe shared asylum accommodation while they wait for months or even years for an asylum decision.
In shared accommodation, LGBTQI+ people are often subject to abuse and mistreatment, which can further traumatise people who are seeking safety and protection.
We have documented many concerns about room-sharing for LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum. In our experience, sharing a bedroom can be particularly dangerous for LGBTQI+ people. We have sadly received distressed calls from our service users, reporting incidents of abuse and harassment in shared rooms.
A trans man who had been attacked back home, was placed in shared accommodation where he woke up to find some of the men he was sharing the space with were stripping off his clothes. As reported in The Guardian, he said: “The hotel staff blocked my room card [because I refused to stay in the room, but] they said I had to share. I could not do it. I slept outside the room on the stairs and cried all night. It was the worst night of my life since I arrived in the UK.” Eventually he was put on a single room.
Another lesbian that we support, told the Guardian she had been forced to sign a document agreeing to room share and was terrified of what might happen to her. She said: “I will have to hide my identity in my own room. So many of us are dealing with mental health issues and trying to overcome trauma but the letter I signed said I do not have the right to object to room sharing.”
This government should ensure LGBTQI+ people are accommodated suitably and safeguarded from harm while they seek to rebuild their lives in safety here.
You can read our full briefing on the risks to LGBTQI+ people in initial and contingency accommodation here.
