LGBTQ Refugees Face Death Threats and Sexual Violence in East African Camps
Kakuma, 8 March 2026
LGBTQ refugees fleeing persecution across East Africa are encountering deadly violence in supposed safe havens. Doreen Nabulime’s harrowing account reveals how being openly gay in Kakuma camp constituted a ‘death sentence’, leading to rape, arson attacks on shelters, and forced displacement to South Sudan. Now sleeping exposed in Gorom camp, she and her partner face nightly attacks from those who ‘suspect who we are’. Their desperate crowdfunding appeal for a £290 secure shelter highlights systemic protection failures for sexual minorities within refugee systems, where those seeking safety from persecution encounter fresh cycles of violence.
Brutal Attack Pattern Emerges in Kakuma
The violence faced by LGBTQ refugees in Kakuma Refugee Camp follows a deliberate pattern of persecution. Doreen Nabulime, a lesbian refugee from Uganda, describes how she was ‘brutally raped because of who I am’ as a ‘punishment’ for her sexual orientation whilst seeking sanctuary in the camp [1]. The systematic nature of these attacks escalated when perpetrators set fire to her shelter whilst she was inside, forcing her and her partner to ‘barely escape the flames’ [1]. These incidents demonstrate how Kakuma, intended as a place of refuge, has become a site where LGBTQ identity itself triggers violent retribution.
Journey of Displacement Across East Africa
Nabulime’s ordeal began in Uganda, where her family attempted to force her into marriage with a man to ‘cure’ her identity [1]. When she refused this so-called corrective measure, the threats became ‘life-threatening’, compelling her to flee ‘with nothing but the clothes on my back and the hand of my partner’ [1]. The couple initially believed they had found safety upon reaching Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, but discovered that ‘being out is a death sentence’ in the facility [1]. Following the rape and arson attack, they concluded that ‘Kenya was no longer a sanctuary’ and were forced to flee once again [1].
Current Crisis in South Sudan’s Gorom Camp
The couple currently resides in Gorom Refugee Camp in South Sudan, where their vulnerability has intensified rather than diminished [1]. Without proper shelter, they are ‘forced to sleep in an open space, exposed to the elements and to anyone who wishes us harm’ [1]. This exposure has led to repeated attacks, with Nabulime reporting they have ‘been attacked twice while sleeping’ in the past week alone [1]. The perpetrators specifically target them because ‘people see two women alone, they suspect who we are, and they feel they can touch us or hurt us with impunity’ [1]. The psychological toll is severe, as ‘every time the sun goes down, the terror sets in’ and ‘we don’t sleep; we just wait for the next person to approach us in the dark’ [1].
Desperate Appeal for Basic Security
The couple has launched a crowdfunding campaign seeking €350 to construct a modest shelter with locking doors and security lighting [1]. This sum would cover ‘materials, labor, and the lighting system’ necessary to create what Nabulime describes as their ‘first bit of security we’ve had in years’ [1]. The fundraising appeal, posted on Reddit’s anarchocommunism community, emphasises that contributors would be providing ‘the difference between sleeping in fear on the ground and having a door that locks’ [1]. The relatively small amount requested underscores how basic safety measures remain beyond reach for LGBTQ refugees navigating multiple displacement across East Africa. The appeal highlights systemic failures in refugee protection systems that leave sexual minorities particularly exposed to violence and exploitation in camps designed to provide sanctuary [GPT].