Celebrating my place in the LGBTQ+ community - Elise's story

Elise grew up in a country that criminalises the LGBTQ+ community. Bright and driven, she was well liked by her classmates at university. But Elise carried the weight of having to hide her sexuality and feared what would happen if anyone found out.

When she was in her twenties, Elise was brutally tortured, forced to endure unimaginable cruelty and violence simply for being who she was. Instead of helping her, Elise’s own family allowed her to be tortured as they believed it would ‘cure’ her. 

Elise knew she would never be safe in her country and managed to escape to the UK. She was alone and struggling after the horrors she had gone through. “When I first got here, I thought that my life was ending” she said. “I couldn’t express myself because I couldn’t speak English”. Elise was helped by the kindness of a stranger, who led her to Freedom from Torture and an LGBTQ+ support group. 

Because of the compassion of our supporters, Elise has been able to attend life-changing therapy sessions to help her cope with what happened to her. Without this help, she says, “My past would still have been persecuting me. I would not have been able to think that there was a future for me”. 

Through generous donations, Elise could also receive vital legal support to help her claim asylum here. Without this security, Elise couldn’t focus on her recovery. “I was worried that I would have to go back to my country and relive what I’ve been through” she said. 

Now that I’ve been granted asylum in the UK, I feel like I have more control.

It is only with your support that people like Elise could manage to build a life here in the UK. Elise is now studying English and wants to do a Master’s degree. Most importantly, Elise has found a sanctuary where she knows she won’t be persecuted for being who she is.

What she went through was so unbearable that it is still very difficult for her to talk about. Continuous therapy and support are crucial, as Elise, along with many other survivors, still navigates the path of recovery.

Please note, Elise's name has been changed and a model is used in the photograph to protect his identity.