Individuals conducting harmful conversion therapies targeting LGBTQ individuals could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison and face unrestricted fines following the unveiling of a long-awaited prohibition.
The punitive measures are outlined in a newly released draft legislation that has been subject to significant delays and vows to outlaw the discredited procedures.
Termed as “gay cure therapy” inappropriately, these practices typically involve endeavors to suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
The government has specified that the criminal threshold will encompass behaviors that cause severe harm to the victim, including abusive actions. In severe instances, accounts have cited incidents ranging from physical assaults and sexual violence to exorcisms.
The proposed Conversion Practices Bill, applicable in England and Wales, was a commitment outlined in the Labour manifesto of 2024. However, the legislative process involving parliamentary voting is anticipated to commence at a later date, making it unlikely for the bill to be enacted this year.
Research conducted during the premiership of Theresa May, when the ban was initially pledged, revealed that nearly 18% of LGBTQ individuals in the UK have been subjected to attempts aimed at altering or “curing” their sexual orientation.
Galop, an LGBTQ anti-abuse charity, asserted that their investigations indicated that such practices are still prevalent today. Within the 195 cases handled by their support services between 2022 and 2025, over two-thirds were reported as recent or ongoing.
The government’s Office for Equality and Opportunity cautioned that these unacceptable practices persist, with victims enduring physical, sexual, economic, and psychological mistreatment.
Minister for Equalities Olivia Bailey remarked today, “Conversion practices are grounded in the erroneous belief that being LGBTQ is disgraceful and can be forcibly altered.
“No individual should suffer abuse due to their identity. This is why we are fulfilling our pledge to ban abusive conversion practices as outlined in our manifesto.
“Existing legal gaps have left LGBTQ individuals at risk of these harmful actions, necessitating legislative action.”
Professor Subodh Dave, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, welcomed the introduction of the bill to prohibit “these damaging practices.”
He emphasized the importance of safeguarding individuals from such unacceptable procedures while ensuring that healthcare professionals can engage in appropriate discussions with their patients.
Jasmine O’Connor, co-chief executive of Galop, highlighted the charity’s frequent observations of the detrimental effects caused by conversion practices and noted that legal loopholes had exposed LGBTQ individuals to “covert and insidious forms of abuse.”
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