Introducing a conversion therapy ban similar to that in the Australian state of Victoria could be “catastrophic”, Christian campaigners have warned.
It follows reports that parents in Victoria have been left “distraught” at the prospect of being prosecuted if they do not affirm their child’s desire to change gender.
One mother of a gender dysphoric daughter said she feared being prosecuted simply for trying to find mental health support for her child.
The ban came into effect across Victoria in February and criminalises attempts to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Victoria’s Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act 2021 carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of £100,000.
Official guidance extends the ban to “a parent refusing to support…
