Aaron Hampton says he needed 12 stitches to close a gash on his lip. (CBC)

A Regina man who claims he was the victim of a gay bashing says his injuries will leave permanent physical and emotional scars.

Aaron Hampton, 27, told CBC News Wednesday about an attack he says took place Sunday around 2 a.m. CST outside a downtown Regina pizza shop.

Hampton, who describes his sexual orientation as bisexual, said he and two friends were confronted by three men.

The men began calling Hampton gay and swearing at him. He said he believes the men noticed he was wearing nail polish.

'I didn't even throw a punch.'—Assault victim Aaron Hampton

He said the incident escalated from violent words to a physical attack.

Hampton claims the men kicked and punched one of his friends in the face and when he tried to intervene he was beaten up.

"It was an assault," Hampton said. "They beat me. I wasn't fighting. I didn't even throw a punch."

Hampton said he was hit a number of times and needed 12 stitches to close a wound on his lip.

"The doctor said I'm going to be scarred for life," Hampton said. "On my lip here, like it goes all the way through.

"I will be affected," Hampton added. "It just makes me more aware that this stuff is happening and it is a serious issue."

Story on Facebook

In the days following the attack, Hampton created a group on the social networking site Facebook, to discuss homophobia and attacks on gays. His group is called Gay Bashing Exposed.

Hampton told CBC News that many of his friends in Regina have had similar incidents.

"I've had friends who've been followed after leaving the gay bar," he said. "They've been jumped and stabbed. A lot of people got it a lot worse, so I was lucky."

Police say they are investigating.

Hampton said the men who attacked him were in their late thirties or early forties and were driving a red-coloured Mazda 3 and drove away before police arrived.