National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) says there is an increased experience on social media sites or dating apps of being “catfished” – as using a fake identity to lure someone online is known – by people intending to extort money is common among members of the LGBTQ+ community in Kenya. With section 162 of the colonial-era penal code criminalising sexual acts deemed “unnatural”, there are fertile grounds for the practice to thrive. Activists want social media companies to take action to stamp out the extortion. Njeri Gateru, executive director of NGLHRC, says: “The existence of laws that criminalise homosexuality create a landscape where anyone attracted to someone of the same gender is seen to belong to a lesser place in society, and as a criminal. That creates room for people to take advantage of queer individuals.” According to Gateru, cases of blackmail and extortion are increasing, methods are becoming more sophisticated, and while this type of crime used to be limited to Nairobi, it has now spread to other areas of the country.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
More Stories
Angélique Kidjo & Ibrahim Maalouf on ‘Queen of Sheba’
Discovery of Embalming Workshop Reveals How Ancient Egyptians Mummified the Dead
On a Walking Safari in Zambia
theGrio Style Guide: A Glimpse Into the Robust African Fashion Industry
Top 5 African Cities Food Lovers Must Visit in 2023
SA’s First Black African Freediving Instructor On her Favourite Ocean Spots along Cape Town
Iemanjá Festival: Keeping the Afro-Brazilian Tradition Alive
African Travel and Tourism has Potential for Immense Growth
Dakar Hosts the First Africa Vegan Restaurant Week
Under the Hanging Tree Examines how Namibia’s Genocide Lives on Today
Under the Hanging Tree Examines how Namibia’s Genocide Lives on Today
Re-entry of Higher Capacity Aircraft on African Routes Shows Recovery of Hard Hit Travel Sector