Campaign Underway to Stop Gay Conversion Therapy
February 12, 2010
A journalist who last week revealed the widespread belief in gay conversion therapy in the UK among therapists and psychiatrists has begun a campaign to put an end to the practice.
The campaign group is called Stop Conversion Therapy Taskforce (SCOTT) and is set up by journalist Patrick Strudwick, who broke last week’s story.
Speaking to PinkNews.co.uk, Strudwick said the one of the aims of the campaign was to pursue professional medical bodies to condemn the practice.
“We want to get various professional bodies in mental health to change their codes of conduct on trying to change sexuality,” he said. “Currently it's all very vague, they don't specifically condemn the practices in their guidelines.
"Also, as a part of that, we want to root out therapists and psychiatrists who are practising these techniques and ultimately bring an end to them through exposing them, as well as disrupting their meetings. We want to highlight the risks and the dangers."
In his piece for the Independent, Strudwick exposed the rampant belief among one in six therapists and psychiatrists that homosexuality is caused by a weak or lacking father figure or from sexual abuse as a child. Shockingly, Strudwick revealed the NHS covers part of the treatment.
Another aim, says Strudwick, is stop religious groups from proceeding with conversion therapy, which experts say is risky and dangerous.
When the journalist spoke to a therapist called Linda, she claimed his homosexuality was a result of sexual abuse as a child.
"It was incredibly disturbing to hear that, said Strudwick. “I was speechless and disgusted.
"In reality, people only go into this when they're vulnerable – can you imagine what would happen? The amount of lives which would be ruined.
"No matter how gay-affirmed you are, subconsciously, it starts to embed. Essentially, it's bad practice and completely unethical."
A Facebook group for SCOTT has been set up with over 2,000 members having joined so far.
Image source; www.queerty.com
