Chérif* arrived in France in early June with one overwhelming thought: he could no longer stay in Senegal. «I knew I would be arrested,» he admits. For weeks after a man he knew was detained, fear consumed him. «As soon as I read about it in the news, all I could think about was escaping.» The case had political weight—the arrested man was reportedly close to Ousmane Sonko, Senegal’s former Prime Minister, now President of the National Assembly, who championed the law doubling prison sentences for same-sex relationships, passed on March 11.

Local media highlighted arrests of alleged partners in the scandal. «I realized my friend’s phone would be searched and would contain messages implicating me,» Chérif explains. «I deleted every message, photo, and trace of my hidden life.»

An atmosphere of hostility

In Senegal, Chérif describes an unbearable climate. «Everywhere—in homes, streets, on TV, and social media—people only talked about LGBTQ+ individuals,» he recalls. Hate speech spread unchecked. «They’re corrupting the youth, destroying the fabric of society,» were the kind of accusations filling the airwaves.

The new law, part of a broader crackdown on dissent, has intensified fears among LGBTQ+ people. Many who once lived quietly in the shadows now face impossible choices: flee, hide, or risk imprisonment. Organizations in France report a sharp rise in calls from Senegalese LGBTQ+ individuals desperate for help to escape.

From silence to survival

Before the law change, while homosexuality remained socially condemned, authorities often turned a blind eye. Now, the situation has shifted dramatically. Arrests are no longer rare; they are expected. «The phone calls we receive are heartbreaking,» says a volunteer from one of the support organizations. «People beg us for help, terrified of what awaits them if they stay.»

The surge in calls reflects a community pushed to the brink. Many have already left, while others remain trapped, hoping against hope that the situation might ease. But with public sentiment hardening and the law firmly in place, the future looks increasingly grim.