Conversion practices are any actions that have the intention to change, ‘cure’ or suppress an individual or group of individuals’ sexual or romantic orientation and/or gender identity.

These experiences can be deeply damaging. Not only are they abusive, they can also harm a person’s sense of self and identity, with repercussions that can last for many years.

Conversion practices are a form of abuse and can be committed by anyone. They can be carried out by family or community members, religious leaders or organisations, healthcare professionals, counsellors, therapists or other practitioners within the ‘wellbeing sector’.

They can happen in any setting or community, whether in your own home, another person’s home or a community, religious or therapeutic space.

While conversion practices are not always tied to religion or specific cultures, in some cases they can be.

Conversion practices can take many forms, including coercive control (such as confiscating a phone or preventing contact with friends), religious practices, physical or sexual violence or abuse, medical or therapy-based practices and the deprivation of basic needs or autonomy. Whatever form conversion practices take, they all share one goal: to change, ‘cure’ or suppress a person’s sexual or romantic orientation and/or gender identity.

Practices can include, but are not limited to:

  • Verbal abuse
  • Psychological abuse
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Being prayed over or exorcised, or someone being made to eat or drink something to ‘cleanse’ or ‘purify’ them
  • Being shamed in front of others
  • Being locked up or denied food/water
  • Controlling or limiting someone’s movements, access to resources, behaviour, contact with others or gender expression
  • Forced marriage or threats of forced marriage

Conversion practices can have lifelong effects on a person:

  • Mental impacts can include increased psychological distress, anxiety, depression, flashbacks, self-harm risks, damaged well-being/self-esteem, increased risk of suicide, dysphoria, feelings of guilt or shame regarding the experience and fear of seeking out mental health support.
  • Physical impacts can look like difficulty sleeping, disordered eating, injuries from sexual or physical violence, and mobility or medical problems connected to the abuse.
  • Social and relational challenges can be difficult, such as struggling with intimacy, feeling lost and not knowing who to talk to, fear of communicating what has happened to you, feeling like you must hide your identity and avoiding spaces or events that support your sexual or romantic orientation and/or gender identity.
  • Economic challenges such as having your education delayed or disrupted, losing access to transport, loss or obstruction of employment opportunities and homelessness.
  • Community effects can look like being cut off from the people who understand and support your sexual or romantic orientation and/or gender identity, or both and the fallout that comes with that distance, whether it’s from your family, your culture, or your faith.

You might find that these descriptions don’t fit with your experience, but that doesn’t mean you haven’t experienced conversion practices. You don’t have to be sure about what’s happening to you or identify with the above list in order to reach out for help or advice.

It’s important to be able to talk about or explore your identity with someone you can trust, but that space should always be supportive, and you should never feel forced to be someone you’re not

Government Equalities Office, 2021

Conversion Practices Definition

Conversion practices include lots of different forms of abuse that have the pre-determined intention to change, ‘cure’ or suppress an individual or group of individuals’ sexual or romantic orientation and/or gender identity.

In some cases of conversion practices, a person can be made to believe they have asked for or consented to what is happening to them. They may even be told that the only way to live a happy and fulfilled life is to change their sexual or romantic orientation and/or gender identity. However, we can’t choose who we are and we can’t consent to abuse.