Let My Fiancée Live: Help her Escape Deadly Persecution
The Issue
My name is Tina and I live and work in North Devon. My fiancée, Ivy, is a lesbian living in Kenya, where being gay is criminalised and violently punished.
In late 2024, I went to visit her as a ‘friend’ in Nairobi, as being an openly gay couple in Kenya isn’t safe.
Halfway through my trip though, her boss found out that we were together and fired her, without warning, after seven years of service.
After that, Ivy was worried that her boss would ‘out’ her to the rest of the community, and that’s exactly what happened.
In April, she was found unconscious on the side of a road after a brutal attack that left her in hospital. Since then, Ivy’s been ostracised, harassed, assaulted numerous times, and targeted by religious groups for “gay conversion therapy”. She lives in fear, afraid every day that she’ll be killed
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What We Did
As Ivy was scared for her safety, we applied for a UK visa, with me as her sponsor - but it was refused by the Home Office. Out of desperation, Ivy then submitted another application with false banking information, and was hit with a 10-year ban on applying for another visa.
To protect herself she’s now gone into hiding, and is terrified for her life.
What I’m Demanding
I’m calling on the UK Government and Home Office to:
Urgently review Ivy’s 10-year visa ban
Let her enter the UK to claim asylum
Uphold Britain’s human rights obligations
The Legal and Moral Case
The UK is meant to uphold:
- Article 3 of the Human Rights Act (protection from inhumane treatment)
- Article 8 (right to family life)
- The Refugee Convention (protects LGBTQ+ people as a vulnerable group)
But so far, the system is ignoring Ivy — and it may cost her life.
Why Now
The Government is pushing a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill that will make it even harder for people like Ivy to seek safety. It restricts asylum routes, fast-tracks deportations, and reduces appeal rights.
If we don’t act now, Ivy — and others like her — will lose their only chance at protection.
Why She Can’t Just Claim Asylum
People have asked me “why can’t she just claim asylum from persecution”, but UK law only allows people to claim asylum once they’re already here. As Ivy is now banned from entering this isn’t an option. There’s no safe or legal route for LGBTQ+ people like her to reach the UK from Kenya.
She can’t claim asylum from abroad. She can’t access a resettlement scheme. She’s trapped.
Help Me Bring Ivy to Safety
My MP says this is a “complex case” — but complexity is no excuse for inaction. I’ll be speaking at Barnstaple Diversity and Pride on 21st June, but I need your help now.
Please sign and share this petition. Let’s get Ivy to safety — before it’s too late.
#LetHerLive #LoveIsLove #HumanRightsMatter
1,642
The Issue
My name is Tina and I live and work in North Devon. My fiancée, Ivy, is a lesbian living in Kenya, where being gay is criminalised and violently punished.
In late 2024, I went to visit her as a ‘friend’ in Nairobi, as being an openly gay couple in Kenya isn’t safe.
Halfway through my trip though, her boss found out that we were together and fired her, without warning, after seven years of service.
After that, Ivy was worried that her boss would ‘out’ her to the rest of the community, and that’s exactly what happened.
In April, she was found unconscious on the side of a road after a brutal attack that left her in hospital. Since then, Ivy’s been ostracised, harassed, assaulted numerous times, and targeted by religious groups for “gay conversion therapy”. She lives in fear, afraid every day that she’ll be killed
Donate
What We Did
As Ivy was scared for her safety, we applied for a UK visa, with me as her sponsor - but it was refused by the Home Office. Out of desperation, Ivy then submitted another application with false banking information, and was hit with a 10-year ban on applying for another visa.
To protect herself she’s now gone into hiding, and is terrified for her life.
What I’m Demanding
I’m calling on the UK Government and Home Office to:
Urgently review Ivy’s 10-year visa ban
Let her enter the UK to claim asylum
Uphold Britain’s human rights obligations
The Legal and Moral Case
The UK is meant to uphold:
- Article 3 of the Human Rights Act (protection from inhumane treatment)
- Article 8 (right to family life)
- The Refugee Convention (protects LGBTQ+ people as a vulnerable group)
But so far, the system is ignoring Ivy — and it may cost her life.
Why Now
The Government is pushing a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill that will make it even harder for people like Ivy to seek safety. It restricts asylum routes, fast-tracks deportations, and reduces appeal rights.
If we don’t act now, Ivy — and others like her — will lose their only chance at protection.
Why She Can’t Just Claim Asylum
People have asked me “why can’t she just claim asylum from persecution”, but UK law only allows people to claim asylum once they’re already here. As Ivy is now banned from entering this isn’t an option. There’s no safe or legal route for LGBTQ+ people like her to reach the UK from Kenya.
She can’t claim asylum from abroad. She can’t access a resettlement scheme. She’s trapped.
Help Me Bring Ivy to Safety
My MP says this is a “complex case” — but complexity is no excuse for inaction. I’ll be speaking at Barnstaple Diversity and Pride on 21st June, but I need your help now.
Please sign and share this petition. Let’s get Ivy to safety — before it’s too late.
#LetHerLive #LoveIsLove #HumanRightsMatter
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Petition created on 7 June 2025