In bustling metropolitan centres throughout India, a disturbing narrative of violence against gay and bisexual men is unfolding, challenging the nation’s progressive legal stance on LGBTQIA+ rights and exposing deep-rooted prejudice that continues to threaten the community’s safety and wellbeing. A ground-breaking new study published in BMC Public Health has drawn attention to the reality of this – that gay and bisexual men are facing systemic discrimination, violence, and marginalisation. The research, conducted by a collaborative team of academics from prestigious institutions including Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi School of Economics, International Institute for Population Sciences, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, provides a comprehensive and quantitative examination of the violence experienced by men who have sex with men (MSM) across six major Indian cities.