Virginia Wairimu, a Kenyan lesbian, faces asylum rejection from the Home Office, citing disbelief in her sexual orientation despite threats in Kenya.
Bournville: Virginia Wairimu arrived in the UK in May 2019. She has been fighting the Home Office for asylum ever since.
Virginia, 51, left her daughters in Kenya due to death threats. The Home Office didn’t believe she was gay, so they refused her asylum claim.
In early 2019, while shopping with her kids, two men attacked her. They had seen Virginia and her partner being affectionate before.
The attackers told her, “You can run, you can hide, but we’ll stop you from teaching your daughters your satanic way of life.” They threatened her life.
Despite this, the Home Office rejected her asylum request in early 2020. They claimed she didn’t provide enough proof of her sexuality or the dangers she faced in Kenya.
When she appealed, a judge said she could live anywhere in Kenya without fear. This was hard for Virginia to accept.
Virginia felt pressured to marry due to her parents’ beliefs. Her husband was abusive, and she eventually left him for her safety.
She adopted a girl in 2014 and met her partner three years later. They kept their relationship discreet, pretending to be friends.
At a party, Virginia was outed when former colleagues recognized her. They attacked her and her partner, forcing them to flee.
Fearing for her children’s safety, Virginia left her younger daughter with her mother and sent her eldest to boarding school.
After applying for a transit visa, Virginia arrived in the UK. She didn’t know she could claim asylum based on her sexuality.
In 2023, 1,377 people claimed asylum based on sexual orientation. Of those, 62% received protection.
To get asylum, applicants must show they would face persecution for being LGBTQ+. Virginia struggled to gather evidence of her situation.
She didn’t think she needed to document her life. During her Home Office interview, she had an interpreter but couldn’t correct any mistakes.
Virginia’s appeals have failed, and the wording of the decisions has been traumatic for her. She feels LGBTQ+ people shouldn’t have to prove their identity.
Journey LGBT+ Asylum Group supports Virginia. They say many LGBTQ+ asylum seekers live secret lives in countries where their sexuality is dangerous.
Virginia hopes to find safety in the UK. She dreams of reuniting with her daughters and possibly finding love again.
Her youngest daughter recently asked, “Mummy, why did you leave me?” Virginia struggles to explain her situation to her.
