Overview
Habibur is in his twenties and identifies as a Muslim gay man. He lives in a small town where he must constantly hide his sexuality. Recently, Habibur went to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, to attend a party for gay men. Police raided the party and he and some of his friends were arrested. The police outed them as gay men in front of the media.
Habibur has an “anonymous” Facebook profile that he uses to connect with other gay men. He is an active member of a closed Facebook group for gay Bangladesh men. He often attends events that are posted in this group. Many people do not have access to a smart phone in his remote village, so he relies on Facebook groups to stay connected to other people in the LGBT community.
Goals
Habibur needs to be able to connect with other members of the LGBT community, without fearing for his safety.
He is interested in learning more about how to safely use online dating tools.
Threats
Habibur’s identity was revealed when he was arrested during the raid of a party. Bullying and social harassment increased significantly following this incident, particularly within his university.
LGBT people are extremely vulnerable when using social media or dating applications.
Many of the risk mitigation materials that currently exist are only available in English. Habibur only speaks Bangla and therefore has limited resources available to protect himself.
Strengths
Habibur owns a smart phone and knows how to use mobile applications.
He understands the basics of the Internet and he is able to send and receive emails.
Questions
How can I safely navigate Facebook groups and dating applications for the LGBT community?
Are there risk mitigation materials available in my native language of Bangla?
