South Australia has officially banned so-called ‘conversion therapy’. Coming into effect today, April 1, the ban will protect LGBTQ+ people from “abhorrent” practices that attempt to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Passed last September, the new reforms are based on laws developed in New South Wales. Perpetrators found guilty of performing conversion therapy practices will face up to five years in prison.

Furthermore, the law introduced penalties of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000 for people who take or arrange to have someone taken interstate to undergo conversion practices.

Moreover, the reforms provide redress to survivors through a civil pathway. Complaints can now be brought before the Equality Opportunity SA if someone delivers or arranges to deliver conversion practices to an individual.

Welcoming the conversion therapy ban in South Australia, Attorney-General Kyam Maher said that sexual orientation or gender identity “does not constitute a disorder, disease or shortcoming and does not need to be ‘changed'”.

“Employing conversion practices to supposedly ‘straighten’ someone out, or get them to ignore or repress their identity is not only ineffective in its aim but can cause serious harm to those it targets,” he continued.

“The penalties that can now be imposed reflect the serious nature of this type of offending and the devastating, long-lasting consequences of this abhorrent practice.”

SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance also welcomed the ban with a statement, saying it was a historic moment for the state. “We’re standing with local survivors to celebrate the win, knowing that we finally have taken steps to protect future generations from untold trauma and pain thanks to years of relentless advocacy by dedicated survivors who shared their stories,” the group said.

Survivor-advocate Jace Reh commented on the ban, saying it was an important step “to show that our lives are worth living as authentically as we want”. He added, “What happened to me was unacceptable and should have never happened.”

Having spent six years in a religious school, Reh was subjected to conversion practices from the age of eight to 15. “My experiences were surrounded by a fear of who I wanted to be and who I felt I had to be,” he said.

Another survivor-advocate, Megan Barnes, said the “existence of this law is a testament to the strength and bravery of survivors who have stepped up and spoken out, and a step in the right direction that will hopefully open up pathways to enable recovery and healing to take place”.

“This law will help to prevent future victims of these dehumanising and traumatising practices, but we need to ensure there is adequate crisis support in place, suitable resources and recovery measures available for those currently suffering,” Barnes concluded.

In Australia, conversion therapy practices are already criminalised in Victoria, the ACT and NSW. Queensland has a partial ban in place, while Western Australia has committed to reforms.