"They Treated Us in Monstrous Ways"
Sexual Violence Against Men, Boys, and Transgender Women in the Syrian Conflict
Description:... Since the onset of the Syrian conflict, men, boys, and transgender women have been subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence by the Syrian Government and armed non-state actors. Men who are perceived as gay or bisexual and trans women have been particularly at risk. This report is based on interviews Human Rights Watch conducted in Lebanon with 40 gay and bisexual men and transgender women-some of whom were perceived by perpetrators to be gay men-and non-binary individuals, as well as 4 heterosexual men. The survivors all described their experience of sexual violence in Syria. This violence takes place in various settings, including Syrian detention centers, checkpoints, prisons, and within the ranks of the Syrian army. 20 caseworkers and representatives of humanitarian organizations operating in Lebanon have also been interviewd. While many of the men and boys and transgender women interviewed have also experienced sexual violence in Lebanon, those incidents lie outside the purview of this report. This report also finds that survivors of sexual violence may suffer from various psychological traumas such as depression, post-traumatic stress, sexual trauma, loss of hope and paranoid thoughts. Due to the sexual violence they have been subjected to, survivors may also suffer from physical traumas, including severe pain in their rectum and genitals, rectal bleeding, and muscle pain, and may have sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.
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