World

Gays in Iraq terrorized by threats, rape, murder

by sweet east pearl | July 25, 2008 at 12:11 am | 227 views | 8 comments | 19 recommendations

Gays in Iraq lead lives of constant fear since homosexuality is not well-accepted in Iraqi society. They have been targeted by militias and police.

Kamal was just 16 when gunmen snatched him off the streets of Baghdad, stuffed him in the trunk of a car and whisked him away to a house. But the real terror was about to begin.

The men realized he was gay, Kamal said, when he took his shirt off and they saw that his chest was shaved.

"They told me to take off my clothes to rape me or they would kill me immediately. This moment was the worst moment in my life," he said, weeping as he spoke of the 2005 ordeal.

"I was watching them taking off their clothes, preparing to rape me. I did not know what to do, so I started shouting loudly, 'Please do not do that! I will ask my family to give you whatever you want.' "

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Rhonda J Mangus

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 00:16 on July 25th, 2008

sweet east pearl, I like this story. It's good stuff.

sweet east pearl

at 00:59 on July 25th, 2008

Thanks Rhonda. I believed they don't want to live that way.

Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 01:06 on July 25th, 2008

Sweet east pearl, I like this story. Its good stuff.

Most of Africa, Asia, And the Middle East could have an article such as this one written about them as well! North America and Western Europe are still and maybe even unfortunately exemptions in that area! Yet even there the issue is not really solved yet!

sweet east pearl

at 01:29 on July 25th, 2008

Thanks for the comment and the flag, Paschen.

Barry Artiste

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 03:41 on July 25th, 2008

sweet east pearl, I like this story. It's good stuff.

sweet east pearl

at 04:08 on July 25th, 2008

Thanks for the flag, Barry Artiste.

gerrypopplestone

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 04:23 on July 25th, 2008

sweet east pearl, I like this story. It must be terrifying - facing men who are about to rape you. We under-estimate how easy it is for us gays in the West compared to this. Oh I know we still have to face homo-phobes still and still risk violence (like the nail bomb at the pub in Compton Street, in the West End of London a few years ago), but its nothing like what goes on in places like Iraq, Iran, Israel, Egypt, Jordon, Sudan,............