Victoria’s health watchdog to ban anyone practicing ‘gay conversion therapy’
Image: (PHOTO: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer)
VICTORIA has a new complaints watchdog that will be able to investigate and ban anyone trying to practice 鈥榞ay conversion therapy鈥� in the state.
Lawyer Karen Cusack has been announced as the state鈥檚 first Health Complaints Commissioner, a role that will see her launch investigations and ban unregistered practitioners from treating patients if her office believes it poses a danger to the public.
Dodgy health providers will now be named, shamed, and banned across the state with Cusack鈥檚 bolstered powers, replacing the previous Health Services Commissioner.
While the two largest ministries that practiced 鈥榞ay conversion therapy鈥� in Australia have shut down in recent years, it continues to be practiced in more subtle and informal ways.
In a , Nathan Despott, who runs a support and advocacy group for LGBTI people of faith, said ex-gay ideas continue to be promoted around the country.
鈥淲hat the ex-gay movement really looks like is small church groups and pastoral care in church offices after hours,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t looks like sermons from the pulpit over many years about why same-sex attraction is a form of brokenness or illness.
鈥淭his is something insidious, it happens in a discreet and secret way, and therefore needs investigation to understand the extent.鈥�
As part of her new position Cusack will be able to issue temporary or permanent bans on unethical health providers who aren鈥檛 registered under law such as those providing 鈥榞ay conversion therapy鈥�.
Last year Minister for Health Jill Hennessy said for those trying to 鈥榗onvert鈥� LGBTI community members.
鈥淭he government is committed to combating discrimination and homophobia wherever it exists, and I find any discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender abhorrent,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e have zero tolerance for any person purporting to be able to 鈥榗onvert鈥� gay people through medical or therapeutic means.
鈥淎ny attempts to make people feel uncomfortable with their own sexuality is completely unacceptable.鈥�
In the Triple J report, researcher at La Trobe University Dr Timothy Jones, who has been undertaking the first academic study of conversion therapy in Australia, said he鈥檇 been surprised by the number of people in registered mental health practices spreading ex-gay ideas.
鈥淎 few people have been subjected to electroshock therapy, hypnosis, and threats of more violent activity from family,鈥� he said.
鈥淪ome people tried it for twenty years, until they realised the people who were mentoring them were still struggling with same-sex desire.
鈥淎ll the people we interviewed found it didn鈥檛 work.鈥�
New Commissioner Cusack will work closely with AHPRA and the new hospital safety watchdog Safer Care Victoria.
Do people in Australia still actually practice this nonsense? Are there still people who are as absurd , dumb, unintelligent as the Americans living here who believe that nonsense? A high IQ does not mean you have any sense, are mentally competent or capable of intelligent thought and action. Anyone of these idiots who do still practice this con-job, scam, call it what you will – they’re probably making money out of it, should be sent to prison for life without parole. They should have all their assets confiscated and given to those they have so badly abused with their form of Violence.
Remember the Worst, most harmful form of Domestic Violence is Emotional/Mental Abuse.
The effects of this sort of Domestic Violence – no you don’t have to be living with someone to inflict this – Never, ever heal. You are stuck with the damage for Life.