Read time:1 minute, 6 seconds

A Berlin-based gay rights organisation will open a special centre for LGBT refugees in the city.

The centre will house 125 LGBT refugees following reports that between August and December of 2015, there were 95 cases of violence against LGBT people in Germany, mostly against refugees and asylum seekers, according to the Lesbian and Gay Federation.

Schwulenberatung, who will open the centre in March, estimate that there are 3,500 LGBT asylum seekers in Berlin.

Speaking to the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the manager in charge of refugee affairs, Stephan Jakel, said, “We have heard a lot of stories about discrimination and crimes against LGBT people in the last two years. They were frightened and scared after being beaten or spat on, and one survived a murder attempt. We heard a lot of horrible stories.”

“Refugees have been coming to our centre over the last few years asking for help,” he said, before adding that LGBT asylum seekers will be offered accommodation in the new center during their asylum-seeking process and will be allowed to stay for as long as they need.

LGBT people have fleeing to Europe amid war and executions by ISIS in both Syria and Iraq.

Germany has taken more refugees than any other European country – an estimated 1.1 million in the year to January 2016.

About the author

Newsdesk

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Close

Latest articles