The Australian Psychological Society welcomes the tabling of legislation in the Victorian Parliament to end harmful ‘conversion therapy’ practices for LGBTIQ people.
The APS strongly opposes any mental health practice that treats homosexuality as a disorder or seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation.
A recent Health Complaints Commission (HCC) inquiry into conversion practices in Victoria found those exposed to such interventions experienced long-term psychological harm and distress, and recommended legislation be introduced to prohibit these practices.
There is clinical evidence that reparative, conversion and ex-gay therapies can compound the challenges already faced by some LGBTI people, such as negative mental health outcomes.
The APS congratulates the Victorian Government for acting decisively on these recommendations from the HCC and reiterates the calls we made in February 2019 for the other States and Territories to adopt similar measures.
APS position statement: Use of psychological practices that attempt to change sexual orientation.
