▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁he ▁purchased ▁a ▁large ▁property ▁on ▁New ▁King ston ' s ▁gent r ified ▁H aught on ▁Street , ▁converting ▁part ▁of ▁this ▁building ▁into ▁a ▁gay ▁night club ▁that ▁he ▁called ▁Ent ou rage . ▁Many ▁of ▁those ▁who ▁attended ▁the ▁club ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁city ' s ▁foreign ▁emb ass ies . ▁Although ▁the ▁police ▁tried ▁to ▁close ▁it ▁down , ▁the ▁club ▁remained ▁open ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁until ▁William son ▁was ▁attacked ▁by ▁a ▁patron ▁carrying ▁a ▁kn ife , ▁which ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁slash ▁William son ' s ▁arm . ▁Although ▁same - sex ▁sexual ▁relations ▁between ▁men ▁were ▁illegal ▁in ▁J ama ica , ▁William son ▁was ▁open ly ▁gay . ▁ ▁William son ▁and ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁J ama ica ' s ▁les bian , ▁gay , ▁bis ex ual , ▁and ▁trans gender ▁( L GB T ) ▁community ▁decided ▁to ▁form ▁an ▁organisation ▁to ▁campaign ▁for ▁their ▁rights , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁J ama ica ▁Forum ▁for ▁Les bi ans , ▁All ▁Sex uals , ▁and ▁G ays ▁( J - FLAG ) ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁J - FLAG ▁sought ▁to ▁enh ance ▁L GB T ▁rights ▁through ▁advoc acy ▁and ▁encourag ing ▁legal ▁reform , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁through ▁educational ▁and ▁social ▁service ▁programs . ▁They ▁also ▁kept ▁a ▁record ▁of ▁anti - L GB T ▁hate ▁cr imes ▁including ▁assault s , ▁home ▁invas ions , ▁and ▁the ▁correct