Credibility Assessments in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Asylum Cases: Evidence from a Quantitative Study of Case Law in Switzerland

Abstract: In asylum cases pertaining to sexual orientation / gender identity (SOGI), credibility is of amplified relevance. I analyse the decisions of the Federal Administrative Court and can confirm that credibility is addressed extensively in SOGI cases, which in turn has a negative impact on the likelihood of a positive verdict. In a field dominated by qualitative approaches, the analysis contributes to the understanding of how credibility acts as a central
filtering device in the asylum proceedings and how this is increasingly evident in SOGI cases.