All-ages GB hotline for ‘those at risk of undergoing conversion therapy’ open to Northern Irish residents

The government has put a charity called Galop in charge, and is funding it with £120,000 per year for three years.

Asked for details about it, the Tory government told the News Letter: “The service covers England and Wales reflecting the devolution of equality powers to Northern Ireland and Scotland.

“However, callers from Scotland and Northern Ireland will not be turned away.”

Asked how it was defining conversion therapy, the government told the News Letter: “The service is for anyone who believes they have been through, or at risk of, or are going through, conversion therapy with the intention of changing their sexual orientation or changing them from or to being transgender.”

However exactly which practices this covers is vague.

For example, the Ozanne Foundation (a prominent gay and transgender lobby group run by Anglican campaigner Jayne Ozanne) surveyed over 4,600 people in 2018 on the issue of conversion therapy, and among the activities respondents listed were “private prayer to change my sexual orientation”, “plea bargaining with God”, and “voluntary sexual activity with someone of the opposite gender”.

Leni Morris, Galop CEO, said: “For the past 40 years, Galop has been serving the needs of the LGBT+ community, and providing victims of abuse and violence with somewhere to turn.

“We have been working with victims and survivors of so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for many years, and we see the long-term, even life-long, effects this type of abuse can have.”

Asked if there was any age limit for those who can use the helpline, Galop said: “The National Conversion Therapy Helpline is a safe, confidential listening and information service available to anyone who feels they may need it.”

And asked if those giving the support are psychologists or other registered professionals, it responded that they are “specialist staff who are trained to listen, provide reassurance, suggest resources, and signpost to further support if needed”.

Click here for more: Alliance deputy leader tells MPs that society should accept transgender identities without question instead of being ‘narrow-minded’