A woman who was almost lynched in Ghana for being LGBTQ fled the country and seeks asylum in Canada

Despite being married, a lady who was falsely suspected of belonging to the LGBTQ+ community and who just avoided being killed by fleeing from Ghana to Canada has spoken out for the first time about her experience.

The woman, Beatrice (not her actual name), described how she was forced to abandon her town in the Volta Region due to threats to her life in an interview with a Ghanaian journalist living in Canada named Brian Myles, in a yet-to-be-aired film, and through her husband.

Atiso, Beatrice’s spouse, disclosed the information, telling the Canadian journalist that the residents of Davego, the neighbourhood where she lived, thought she was a lesbian since she was frequently spotted with women.

He continued by saying that one of these people who frequently visited Beatrice’s home was a specific woman who was also previously suspected of being a homosexual.

“They began to suspect her of being a lesbian as a child since they seldom ever saw her with males; instead, they saw her with women. This is also due to the fact that they said they frequently observed a certain woman entering and exiting her home, occasionally departing late, while I was away, he stated.

He went on to claim that over time, the residents of the neighbourhood came to believe that Beatrice could possibly be a lesbian, and as a result, they began formulating plans to “punish” her.

He revealed that she was once the target of a mob that sought to lynch her, but she managed to flee, making her way to Accra and ultimately Canada.

“The event took place in August of last year in the small Ghanaian village of Davego in the Volta Region. It all started when rumours about her sexual orientation spread around the neighbourhood.

“The subsequent crowd assembled, fueled by disinformation and bigotry, with the goal of committing a heinous act of violence. Beatrice took the tough choice to seek sanctuary in Canada when she realised she was in grave danger and was able to escape the mob’s grasp,” he said.

The two were able to flee Ghana with the aid of her husband, who she fled to be with in Accra, and with assistance from a travel agency.

Atiso went on to say that their time in Accra was not as tranquil as they had anticipated since their pursuers chose to demolish their home while they were gone from the Volta Region.

They followed us to our home in Ho after learning we were in Accra, wreaking havoc and harm to our properties there. Eventually, we had to contact the police, but the threats persisted.

We had to stay in hotels after hotels until we received assistance and departed the country. “We travelled on transitory visas,” he claimed.

He said that they have no chance of returning to Ghana any time soon, thus they are applying for asylum in Canada right now.

People seeking safety from persecution have looked to Canada, which is renowned for its steadfast dedication to human rights and multiculturalism, as a ray of hope.

For people fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation, the nation’s asylum system offers a place where they can find shelter and protection.