We are thrilled to see that the report of the Equalities, Human Rights & Civil Justice Committee on End Conversion Therapy Scotland‘s petition to ban conversion therapy has been released, and has recommended that we move forward with a ban as quickly as possible

We have no words to describe the conclusions of the report better than theirs: “conversion practices are abhorrent and are not acceptable in Scotland. They should be banned.”

We are further pleased to see that they have recommended a complete ban, in all settings, including both sexuality and gender identity, with no loopholes around ‘consent’. Conversion therapy is torture and no one can consent to it.

A ban alone is not enough, and we welcome the Committee’s recommendations that funding needs to be made available to provide education, a hotline for those at risk of conversion therapy, and victim support.

These practices have gone on too long and there are many people in need of support to recover from the results.

We echo the report’s calls for the Scottish Government to work together with the Committee to avoid needless repetition of work, to minimise the harm to survivors being re-traumatised by having to share their stories again, and to bring forward a ban as soon as possible.

As the Committee has reported, there is sufficient evidence already to conclude legislation is necessary. Since the Committee started its work, Canada and France have both introduced comprehensive bans.

We need to act quickly and decisively to protect the people of Scotland from this abuse.