Why woman wants everyone to see photos of her bashing injuries
A lesbian who was bashed by two men in a hate-filled rage has shared confronting images of her injuries to offer a glimpse into the reality of homophobia.
Charlie Graham, 20, was walking on her own in Sunderland, England, when she was set on in the Town End Farm area about 12.50am (local time) on Saturday, the Daily Star reported.
She was left bloodied and bruised, but fortunately did not sustain serious injuries.
Now she hopes to open people’s eyes to the violence people in the gay community still face in 2020.
“(It is) very important to me for my pictures to be shared, so people are aware there are people out there that will attack you for whatever reason they feel is necessary – whether that is your sexuality, colour of your skin, the way you walk or how you dress,” she told the Daily Star.
Ms Graham said it was not the first time she had been targeted while out in public on her own, having been attacked four times previously.
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“It has knocked my confidence back. I don't go anywhere by myself anymore. I only feel comfortable at my mum's house,” she told the publication.
She added she was fearful attackers would find out where she lived, and had suffered panic attacks and anxiety attacks just thinking about the prospect of being bashed in her own home.
Sadly, Ms Graham says she has come to accept this was now an inescapable part of her life and classified herself as having “bad luck” due to the frequency of the attacks she experienced.
Her mum, Michelle Storey, said her daughter suffered anxiety, depression and insomnia, and had gone for a walk to clear her head when she was attacked.
“She’s my baby girl, I know she’s 20, but she’s still my baby. If anyone has any information, please come forward and help me get these bastards caught,” she wrote in a post to Facebook.
Police confirmed they were investigating the incident as a hate crime and were working to identify the people responsible for the attack, according to the Mirror.
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