Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) has pleaded with churches to stop the inhuman and barbaric practice of claiming to ‘expel evil spirits’ from LGBTQ+ people.

In Botswana, where nearly 80 percent of people identify as Christian, religion permeates society. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) people face widespread stigma, exclusion and discrimination, including in education, employment and health care.

Churches are often considered safe spaces that welcome all humanity, but for LGBTQI Christians who have been harassed, abused and pushed out their doors, they can represent a painful source of “spiritual starvation”.