By Gavin Mackintosh-
The UK government has launched consultation on how to make coercive conversion therapies illegal.
According to NHS England, conversion therapy, sometimes called “reparative therapy” or “gay cure therapy” – tries to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
In practice, it means trying to stop or suppress someone from being gay, or from living as a different gender to their sex recorded at birth
It and other professional bodies have warned that all forms of conversion therapy are “unethical and potentially harmful”.
Christian denominations in the UK and abroad hold the view that being gay is sin, and many times conduct exorcism practices to cast out demons from individuals who are struggling with their sexual orientation.
Proposed new laws aim to protect LGBT people, and especially under 18s, will seek to ensure individuals cannot promote or profit from a practice deemed to be harmful.
In May this year, Truss announced her intention to introduce a legislative ban on the practice of conversion therapy, which seeks to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Religious groups which practice the gay therapy on its way to be banned are yet to react to the proposals.
The 6-week government consultation on how to legislate for such a ban, launched today, is the next step in that process, the UK government said.
Throughout the summer further engagement was carried out with victims of conversion therapy, many of whom detailed the negative impacts on their mental health, and key stakeholders.
The government’s proposals to ban conversion therapy in England and Wales include ensuring physical conversion therapy acts are sentenced appropriately and introducing a new offence for so-called talking conversion therapies.
Ensuring those found guilty of conversion therapy offences have any profit they obtained from those crimes removed, and strengthening the case for individuals to be disqualified from holding a senior role in a charity where they are convicted of a conversion therapy offence.
The government said that the introduction of Conversion Therapy Protection Orders to protect potential victims from undergoing the practice, including abroad, could include removing passports of potential victims, who are at risk of being taken overseas for conversion therapy.
Exploring further measures to prevent the promotion of conversion therapy.
The consultation will allow individuals to express their views on these proposals, presenting a vital opportunity for the public and key stakeholders to work with the government to develop an effective ban.
Once the consultation has closed, the responses will inform further refinements to the proposals and the government will prepare and introduce legislation by spring 2022.
Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss, said:
“There should be no place for the abhorrent practice of coercive conversion therapy in our society.
“Today we are publishing detailed proposals that will stop appalling conversion therapies and make sure LGBT people can live their lives free from the threat of harm or abuse.
“As we build back better from the pandemic, I want everyone to be able to love who they want and be themselves. Today’s announcement sets out how w
e will ban an archaic practice that has no place in modern life.”
Psychological Harm
Growing international evidence suggesting a strong link between conversion therapy and serious psychological harm. is the reason for the ban on its way to becoming law.
The government said it will make funding available to support victims of conversion therapy practices, making sure that those who need help can access it. In November, a competitive tendering process for a new government-funded support service for victims and those at risk of conversion therapy will be launched.
Minister for Equalities, Mike Freer, said:
“Everybody should be safe to be themselves at home, in the workplace and going about their daily lives. That is why we have set out these proposals to ban coercive conversion therapy and stop it impacting on the lives of people in this country.
“Input from victims and stakeholder groups will be vital and I urge everyone to have their say, making sure the ban puts an end to these practices, once and for all.”
Whilst violent forms of conversion therapy are already covered under other offences, the proposals that have been presented today would make all coercive conversion therapies illegal, making sure that where conversion therapy is the motive for violence, judges consider it as a potential aggravating factor when sentencing.
Safeguard
The government said is also keen to safeguard under 18s, who are often targeted at a young age due to their vulnerability. Future laws will therefore place a particularly strong emphasis on preventing children undergoing any practices considered to be conversion therapies.
The proposals will also ensure that regulated clinicians are protected and are able to continue to undertake their valuable work. The ban will not seek to restrain these medical professionals and individuals should be free to seek out professional help and guidance, it will however target practices which people have not willingly agreed to undertake.
Alongside the proposed legislation for a specific ban, the Equality Hub will work across government to explore ways to prevent the promotion of conversion therapies in this country, including working with DCMS and others to consider vehicles to prevent online promotion.
The government said it would like to hear from everyone with an opinion on how we should introduce the ban and urge those with an interest and particularly those with experience of conversion therapy to come forward.
A Conversion Therapy Protection Order will set out certain conditions to protect a person from undergoing the practice, including removing a passport for those under risk of being taken abroad or any requirement that the court considers necessary to protect the person for whose protection the order is made.
The government will work closely with devolved administrations in order to protect people from conversion therapy across the UK
The consultation will run for six weeks, closing on 10 December.
Alongside the consultation a research report on the impact of conversion therapy, completed by Coventry University, will be published.