The long-awaited draft Conversion Practices Bill has finally been tabled by the UK Government in Parliament, marking a significant step towards safeguarding LGBT+ individuals from abusive conversion practices in England and Wales. This landmark proposal fulfils a key election pledge and is set to ban exploitative tactics aimed at changing someone's sexual orientation or transgender identity, which have left victims battered physically and emotionally.
The draft bill sets out to criminalise conversion practices by introducing a clear threshold for what constitutes these abusive acts. Conduct that seeks to alter an individual's sexual orientation or transgender identity through coercive means will now be considered a serious harm, aligning with existing laws against domestic violence and coercive control. However, it is acknowledged that the current legal frameworks have been insufficient in tackling this specific issue, allowing perpetrators to exploit loopholes.
Under the proposed legislation, two major criminal offences will be created: carrying out conversion practices resulting in serious harm or distress, punishable by severe penalties including an unlimited fine and up to five years' imprisonment. Additionally, there will be a new civil Conversion Practice Protection Order, mirroring existing orders for forced marriage and female genital mutilation, to offer pre-emptive protection to those at risk.
Minister for Equalities Olivia Bailey MP highlighted the urgent need for this legislation, stating that conversion practices are driven by a misguided belief that being LGBT+ can be forcibly changed. Dr Hilary Cass, author of the Cass Review, welcomed the clearer definition of these practices within the bill, noting its importance for healthcare professionals who require confident guidance without fear of litigation while protecting vulnerable young people.
Jasmine O’Connor OBE, Co-CEO at Galop, an LGBT+ anti-abuse organisation, hailed this legislation as a vital step forward. Research by Galop underscores that conversion practices remain a pressing issue, with victims recounting experiences ranging from physical violence and rape to verbal threats and manipulation.
Galop's long-standing campaign for legal action against these forms of abuse has finally borne fruit, with the organisation now urging swift passage of the bill into law to ensure LGBT+ individuals are shielded from further harm. The draft legislation's timely introduction comes as a testament to the persistence of advocacy groups and their allies in parliament, who have championed this cause for years.