V.R., a gay man from Mexico, had been taunted, harassed, and assaulted for most of his life. His stepfather was particularly abusive and attempted to “make a man” out of V.R. and “correct” his sexual orientation. V.R. was also subject to constant verbal and physical harassment at school, which only worsened as he got older. He suffered physical, sexual, and emotional abuse at the hands of classmates, family members, and people in his neighborhood.

He eventually left his home town of San Jose Chiltepec when he was 25 after suffering several public attacks. He moved to Tijuana where his situation improved slightly, but deteriorated when his neighbors discovered his sexual orientation. His home and his car were constantly vandalized, and he would wake up to find graffiti on the walls of his home and the tires of his car slashed. He called the police to report the vandalism but they would not respond to his calls. When he was attacked by four men who threatened his life and assaulted him with a knife, he tried to contact the police again, but they still refused to help him. He knew that he had no other choice but to flee his country.

When he arrived in the United States, V.R. was referred to NCLR by his friends in San Francisco. His application was submitted in September 2008 and was granted in June 2009.