HRW denounces attacks against lesbian and bisexual women

New York (EFE).- Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounced this Tuesday that lesbian, bisexual and “queer” (LBQ+) women face attacks and constant discrimination throughout the world that prevents them from building relationships and families.

In a report, the New York-based NGO analyzes the situation of this group in 26 countries, including several Latin American countries such as Mexico, Argentina, and El Salvador, and concludes that these women are regular victims of human rights violations in many areas.

Physical and sexual violence, discrimination at work or in property rights, and sexist and patriarchal legal systems are some of the main problems identified by HRW, which considers that all these circumstances place LBQ+ people “at a great disadvantage in virtually every aspect of your life.”

“Lesbian, bisexual and ‘queer’ women are recognized for leading human rights struggles around the world. Yet the scale of brutal violence, legal discrimination, and sexual harassment these communities face is rarely documented,” Erin Kilbride, the report’s author, said in a statement.

Women, subjugated by violence

The study denounces that violent crimes against this group are very common and, in general, go unpunished and includes cases of LBQ+ couples murdered, raped or brutally assaulted, which causes many others to limit their movements in public.

It also collects testimonies from numerous women who report forced marriages with men, episodes of discrimination in different areas and obstacles in accessing services such as justice or health.

The report highlights, for example, that LBQ+ people who appear masculine face widespread economic marginalization, discrimination and harassment at work, physical and sexual violence, and persecution by security forces.

“Many of us became sex workers (due to the discrimination in hiring that existed in other areas),” a defender of lesbians and sex workers in El Salvador points out in one of the interviews.

“However, when police raided brothels and homes, masculine-looking lesbians were treated ‘like men.’ That is, they were handcuffed more tightly, they were made to kneel and they were forced to take off their shirts, ”he adds.