Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have been urged to take a “historic opportunity” to pass Eóin Tennyson MLA’s Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill, which would make Northern Ireland the first jurisdiction on these islands to introduce a ban on conversion practices. 

The call comes from the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, which has written an open letter to the MLAs ahead of the Bill’s Second Stage debate at the Northern Ireland Assembly. A person convicted of an offence under the proposed legislation could face a prison sentence of up to two years, a fine or both. 

The Coalition is a group of civil society organisations, including LGBTQ+ organisations, women’s organisations, trade unions, youth services, and human rights organisations.

A demonstration was held by the Coalition on the steps at Stormont on Tuesday 15 at 10am. Organisations and members of the community were encouraged to join and show their support for a ban on conversion practices.

The letter written by the Coalition states “conversion practices, sometimes referred to as ‘conversion therapy’, are attempts to change or suppress someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. They can take a variety of different forms, from pseudo-therapeutic interventions and coercive control, to physical and sexual abuse.”

It adds, “a wealth of international research has consistently demonstrated not only that these practices do not work, but also that they cause significant distress, harm, and trauma, impacting victims throughout the course of their lives.”

In the Still Not Illegal study, UK-wide LGBTQ+ support organisation Galop analysed 195 cases of conversion therapy in the UK, finding that 81% involved coercive and controlling practices such as emotional and psychological abuse, threats, forced marriage, restriction and surveillance. 76% of the cases were initiated by the family and 63% of cases by a parent. 

Galop further found that 81% of people in the cases analysed were subjected to multiple conversion practice attempts over time and that conversion practices remain a risk for LGBTQ+ people, with 68% of the cases still currently happening, ongoing, or having occurred recently.

Jasmine O’Connor OBE, Co-CEO of Galop, said this on the research conducted: “The people whose stories are shared in this report could have been protected from insidious forms of abuse and violence. For eight years, consecutive governments have promised, and failed, to deliver a ban on conversion practices.” 

They added, “These findings make clear that LGBT+ people need protection and access to specialist support. Conversion practices should be illegal.”

The Ban Conversion Practices Coalition is calling for the Bill to be passed, saying it would send a “historic message” that “LGBTQIA+ people are not sick, their identities are not wrong, they do not need to be ‘cured’.”

The letter has been signed by the following: The Rainbow Project, HEReNI, Participation and the Practice of Rights, Human Rights Consortium, Reclaim the Agenda, NIRWN, Women’s Resource & Development Agency, YouthAction NI, Alliance for Choice, Cara-Friend, Christians at Pride NI, Reclaim the Agenda, Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA), Northern Ireland Committee – Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Northern Ireland Humanists, Belfast & District Trades Union Council, NI Women’s Budget Group, ROSA Socialist Feminists, Amnesty International UK, University and College Union (UCU).