Despite criminalizing homosexuality, Uganda has as many gay people as countries where homosexuality is legal, a new study has found.
Pink News reports that the survey of 3,000 Ugandan students found that one in three of the respondents had been in love with a person of the same gender.
In addition, the study found that 6-8 percent of men, and 10-16 percent had been sexually active with someone of the same gender.
Anette Agardh, the Associate Professor in Global Health at Lund University, said: “We were not surprised by the results, as the numbers are consistent with the situation in most other countries in the world.
“The real figures could actually be even higher. Although the survey was anonymous, the intense propaganda against homosexuality in Uganda may have intimidated some from providing honest answers.”
Homophobic Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni remains in office for a fifth term, as he won a general election last month, amid accusations of corruption. The president signed the draconian Anti-Homosexuality Bill in February 2014. The law called for repeat offenders to be sentenced to 14 years in prison and to make it a criminal offense not to report someone for being gay.
