“Ini hangu handifunge (personally I don’t think) that there can be any challenge, because there are not so many people, but the moment there are many people and the noise levels go up, that’s when attention is generated so I think I’m safe” – Lesbian, Member. Another participant said, “Well today when I was coming here, I extended the invitation to a friend to come with me and he said, aa kundoitei tindobhurwa zvedu ikoko, enda wega, (I can’t go there, I don’t want to be beaten) so they think it might happen anytime, I brave it when I come but I will be scared as well, they (friends) would like to come but they are afraid of what might happen.” – Gay Member. Membership Recruitment Though not intended, to some extent the raids seem to generate a lot of interest in the media, which then serves to alert some individuals out there about the existence of the organisation. The staff indicated that though surprising, they seem to get an influx of new people making contact and enquiries about the organisation whenever the raids are published in the media. One of the participants in the FGD was a new member to GALZ and had this to say when quizzed why she had joined GALZ even after hearing and reading reports about raids. ‘Because at times you need to interact with people who understand you, ndakangoti chero zvinenge zvaitika tichangozoona,” (I just had to throw caution to the wind, I just 28 An Assessment of the impact of state sanctioned and unsanctioned raids on GALZ premises and gatherings