Violent transphobia in Kyrgyzstan is leading LGBT individuals to seek refuge in Russia.
The unlikely destination although not overtly accepting, is less dangerous than their home country where discriminatory legislation introduced in 2014 banned homosexual relations.
Social workers from Kyrgyz Indigo - a LGBT organisation and shelter - say corrective rape is common and especially prevalent in the transgender community where 84% of individuals have experienced physical violence and 35% are victims of sexual violence.