Homosexuality in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Geographical location of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Homosexuality in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is prohibited by law for both men and women. The law against homosexuals was only renewed in 1990 and is supported by large parts of the religious-conservative population. State- sanctioned homophobia promotes discrimination and aggressiveness against homosexuals and forces LGBT people to hide their sexual identity.

illegality

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines , anal intercourse has been punished with a prison sentence of up to 10 years under Section 146 of the Criminal Code since 1990 ( including heterosexual anal intercourse ). Section 148 provides for a punishment for all other same-sex sexual acts between men, as well as between women, with imprisonment of up to 5 years.

Recognition of same-sex couples

Same-sex couples are not recognized either through registered partnerships or same-sex marriage .

Social situation

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as in almost all former British colonies in the Caribbean , discriminatory laws and homophobic practices prevail that prevent homosexual people from having access to health services. The island nation's government has been repeatedly urged by human rights activists to reduce stigma and discrimination against people with a different sexual orientation.

Homophobia in the country leads many homosexuals to enter into cross-sex marriages or to live underground. Police reportedly humiliated and degraded homosexuals on several occasions. In one case, two gays arrested for committing homosexual acts were taken to the police station, where they were cursed and forced to completely undress and remain naked in the holding cells. In January 2007, the Associated Press reported that Douglas Slater, minister of health for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, described the society as very homophobic at a Caribbean summit on HIV and AIDS , saying, “This is something we must overcome ".

According to information available to UNHCR (2009), there are no groups in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines that publicly advocate gay and lesbian rights. Few known HIV support groups with some homosexual members are known.

See also

• Laws on homosexuality
• Homophobia

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ILGA : ILGA State-Sponsored Homophobia Report ( Memento July 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), accessed April 28, 2012
2. ^ UNHCR : Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Situation and treatment of homosexuals; legislation; availability of state protection and support services (2007 - September 2009) ( Memento of the original from July 28, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed April 28, 2012