Living in fear: Senegal’s LGBTQ+ community seeks refuge abroad after law change
For Chérif*, the decision to flee Senegal was not a choice—it was the only path left. Arriving in France in early June, he carried one overwhelming certainty: he could no longer stay in his home country. «I was going to get arrested,» he confesses. For weeks after the arrest of a man he had been in contact with, fear consumed him. «As soon as I saw the news in the press, the only thought in my mind was escape.»
The case was high-profile—an associate of Ousmane Sonko, Senegal’s former Prime Minister and now President of the National Assembly, had been detained. Sonko had spearheaded the controversial bill that, in March, doubled the prison sentence for consensual same-sex relations from five to ten years. Local media widely covered the arrests of alleged partners, fueling a climate of intense suspicion.
«I knew the police would search my friend’s phone and find messages implicating me,» Chérif explains. «I deleted every trace—messages, photos, anything that could link me to him.»
an atmosphere of fear and hatred
Since the law’s passage, the atmosphere in Senegal has shifted dramatically. In homes, on streets, on television, and across social media, discourse has turned openly hostile. «Everyone was talking about homosexuals,» Chérif recalls, and hate speech spread without restraint.» He describes a suffocating environment where LGBTQ+ individuals live in constant dread of exposure, arrest, or worse.
The law’s adoption marked a turning point. Before March, while homosexuality remained socially stigmatized, authorities had shown a degree of tolerance. Now, the climate has shifted drastically. LGBTQ+ people face not only societal rejection but also the looming threat of imprisonment. For many, survival means living in secrecy—or fleeing the country.
coordinated efforts to flee
In response to the growing crisis, organizations like Stop Homophobie, SOS Homophobie, and Le Refuge have intensified their support for LGBTQ+ individuals seeking to escape. The surge in distress calls from Senegalese LGBTQ+ people hoping to reach France has been significant, reflecting the desperation of a community pushed to the brink.
Chérif’s story is not unique. Many others like him have made the harrowing journey, seeking safety in countries where their identities are no longer criminalized. The exodus underscores the human cost of legislative changes that have turned acceptance into persecution.
For those left behind, the future remains uncertain. With each passing day, the risks grow, and the hope of a life lived openly fades further into the distance.
