‘My confidence has hit an all time low’: Fresher suffers homosexual abuse on night out

A homophobic thug assaulted an innocent fresher on a night out – for being gay.

Last month, Jack (not his real name) was on his way to the bar in LEVEL when a fellow student – who Jack knew from halls – aggressively grabbed him by the neck and shouted “the faggot is here”.

Jack tried to push him back but everyone around just laughed.

Terrified, Jack fled the club and went back to halls – not reporting the incident to anyone.

The victim spoke in confidence to The Tab with the hope of breaking the silence among victims who have suffered similar abuse.

He said: “I froze for a few seconds. I felt so intimidated by his violent behaviour.

“It wasn’t his words that hurt, but his violence.

“I tried to push him back and then it was when his friend who came and separated us.

“I felt broken as an individual and wanted to be alone, that’s why I left immediately.”

The shocking incident has broken Jack’s confidence, who says he doesn’t feel he can even be himself.

He added: “I still feel hurt and I believe my confidence has hit an all time low.

“I don’t feel I can be myself anymore. I am still very shaken.

“I feel disgusted by people like him.”

Not only does Jack recognise the attacker from halls, but they know each other from their hometown near London.

“I don’t like people like him, and the fact he’s from around the same area I come from reminded me of all the narrow-minded people I’ve left behind.

“I didn’t think I’d experience a homophobic incident like this here at university.

“The one thing I would like to say to him is that he makes me feel disgusted, and knowing there are bigoted and homophobic people like him in a Russell Group in the 21st century is completely underwhelming.”

Jack is disappointed people still face abuse for their sexual orientation today.

He added: “I think the fact there is still so much homophobia today in the 21st century is disheartening, and the abuse hailed at the individuals can often set them back and strip away any confidence they used to have.

“What I’d say to the other gay people who have been abused, is that it is difficult.

“Just because we live in a period where we have more rights than we did  20 years ago, doesn’t mean the abuse has stopped.

“Homophobia exists everywhere and we’re going to have to get tougher skin too.”