Conversion therapy ban: More should be done says campaigners

While the Government prepares to criminalise the practice of conversion therapy, campaigners say more should be done to help those who went through it.

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels

A petition calling for a ban on the practice, which aims to change people’s attraction to the same sex or change their gender identity, gathered 256,392 signatures in March this year.

Moss (19), from Berkshire, believes it is an inhuman practice.

“I think that they should provide more support for those who have been through conversion therapy and more support in terms of psychotherapy to overcome the trauma that it may have caused.

“I believe that conversion therapy causes trauma and a large amount of insecurity.

“I don’t think that it should have been allowed to carry on for this long, especially since the Equality Act 2010 and same sex marriage being legalised in England and Wales since 2014.”

It was announced in the Queen’s speech this year that the Government would be banning the practice in England and Wales. It will become a criminal offence and current sentences will be uplifted.

Current victims will receive a support package that will restrict the promotion of such therapies, including removal of profit streams and strengthening the disqualification from holding a senior role in a charity.

"Conversion therapy should have been illegal a long time ago..."

A Conversion Therapy Protection Order will be introduced to protect potential victims from being put through the practice both in the UK and overseas.

Katherine (20), a student from Sheffield, said: “I think the steps the government is introducing are beneficial to banning these practices, but it all seems like too little too late.

“These policies will not be introduced until next year, meaning there are still people who are likely to suffer in the meantime.

“To truly protect these victims, the practice of conversion therapy should have been illegal a long time ago.”

The government is also exploring other measures that will prevent the promotion and advertisement of conversion therapy in the UK.

To do this, a consultation has been set up to seek views on the above principles. This is being run by the Government Equalities Office (GEO).

The GEO carries out work on issues that are linked to women, sexual orientation, and transgender equality.

Responses to this consultation will help inform the future policy’s proposals and help draft the legislation. This is expected in spring of 2022.