Sexual Orientation Change Efforts: Corrective Rape

Throughout history, there have been accounts of people being persecuted for many reasons; race, religion, political affiliations, and sexual orientation. In the United States, and many other nations across the globe, there have been hundreds of thousands of people victimized for being homosexual. Due to differing standpoints, homosexuality is seen as “immoral” or “sinful” or even “disgusting”. Up until 1973, homosexuality was also referred to as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. People could be openly criticized, mocked, and often killed for simply being gay. Because of these social and religious criticisms, many people have been forced to partake in “conversion” or “reparative” therapies in order to become

Following the declassification of homosexuality as a disease in 1973, a variety of methods have been made in attempts to help members of the LGBT community become

Despite the largely negative responses, many organizations support conversion therapy. Many practitioners such as the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality

Upon the reveal of homosexuality in the bible, many young men confessed to their pastors that they were having homosexual feelings and from this, pastoral counseling exploded. Many pastors were relying on their psychology companions to aid in this movement, however, we begin to see an influx of literature on how to handle these sinners. During this time, pastors were trying to “cure” people of their homosexual thoughts through compassion and understanding. Ultimately, becoming heterosexual was the goal optimal goal. White unveils this novelty of Protestant sex-same behavior therapy.

“Terror doesn't change people from gay to straight. It just hurts innocent people,” DaShanne Stokes, a recognized thought leader, sociologist, author, and speaker, on conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is a pseudoscientific practice that encompasses psychological or spiritual interventions to try and change an individual’s, usually a minor’s, sexual orientation. It has been highly discredited and criticized by all major American medical and psychological organizations and even, in 2001, the United States Surgeon General David Satcher, stated that there was “no valid scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be changed”. However, conversion therapy still occurs in the United States. This paper looks to examine Ferguson v. JONAH, a case credited as the “first of its kind”, it’s ruling, and the effect it could have on future cases.

This paper focuses on counseling clients a part of the “sexual minority” (Yarhouse, Kays, and Jones, 2013). The information regarding sexual minorities and the techniques to counsel these clients are summarized from Yarhouse et al.’s “The Sexual Minority Client” (2013). The basis for counseling the sexual minority is competence. This shift to competence is primarily from the “multicultural movement” (Yarhouse, et. al., 2013). Two supporting therapies of this movement are and “affirmative approach” and “sexual identity therapy” (Yarhouse, et. al., 2013). Counselors’ beliefs and values are inevitable in therapy. Practicing in an area with similar beliefs and values minimizes ethical issues. Personal reflection shows acceptance of information provided in the chapter except statements from the ACA and APA in which Christian counselors seem discouraged to provide therapy for the sexual minority. Interest exists in the areas of percentages concerning sexual minority, as well as, these individuals claiming an identity. The primary form of therapy to be administered for a sexual minority client is sexual identity therapy. This therapy provides the least risk in regards to ethics. The client chooses the goal and the counselor acts as a support for the client to obtain the goal. Though beliefs differ, the client will be supported even if the homosexual

Once I have become aware of and accepted my morals, next I need to identify if they are coming into play with this client in a negative way. If my morals are coming into play there are several ways this impact the therapy I am doing with this client. The ways in which impact can occur is through building rapport, maintaining a therapeutic alliance, through my approach including treatment planning and goals, through transference or countertransference, and by limiting my ability to help this client with their issue. Before 1973 the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders viewed homosexuality as a psychological disorder. This resulted in treatment plans that involved reorienting the individual to be heterosexual (Fontaine & Hammond, 1996). Although this practice is no longer common and has been debunked many times a metaphorical wedge between

During the 1900’s, homosexuals were sent to mental institutions to “cure” them of what was thought to be a disease. There they underwent shock therapy, one of the many methods used in conversion therapy. In 1920 Sigmund Freud began the practice of changing a person 's sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. In the beginning homosexuality was also deemed as “ a negative human characteristic caused by immaturity, pathology and family dynamic” (Scoolaid.net). Soon its popularity had scientists such as Eugen Steinach, Sandor Ferenczi as well as his daughter Anna Freud partake in the practice. If they were not sent to mental

Homosexuality has long been seen as a mental illness or disease in the past and though the times have changed, and it is no longer considered an mental illness, there are still many that agree that it is either a sin or unnatural. There have been efforts to try to convert sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual, some of these efforts are known as conversion therapy. Conversion therapy, or also known as reparative therapy or gay therapy, has brought up moral debates and has since become a controversy in the United States and other countries. Some, most being conservative Christians, still see the need to "cure" homosexuality, while mainstream practitioners see conversion therapy as harmful and unethical.

On December 8, 2016, Mark Squilla proposed a bill against a practice called “conversion therapy on LGBTQ” a practice to convert an individual’s gender identity in order to reduce romantic attraction toward same-sex individuals. According to the article, many health associations have proof that “the dangers of conversion therapy practices, which are known to lead to depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse, and suicide.”(PHL Council). Squilla does not want anyone to feel rejected and ashamed because of who they are. He plays a large role in this bill because he stood up to the LGBTQ commitee and protect who they are.

Sexual assault is one of the most under reported crimes in Australia especially sexual assault involving male victims following their characterised social stigma around society 's view point on the issue. It can be seen that although these cases happen to both genders with respect to each individuals’ various cultural groups, 495 per 100,000 women between the ages of 15-19 have succumb to a sexual act without there given consent. Even so there has been considerable amount of legislative and

Despite the fact that the American Psychiatric Association declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder on December 15, 1973, many therapists continue to practice conversion therapy with the aim of “curing” those in the LGBT community (Burroway). Their efforts to cure something that is not a disorder has lead to the development of actual mental disorders – depression, anxiety, and even PTSD – in patients (Glassgold et al.). In 1969, John Bancroft, M.D., conducted a study on conversion therapy using sixteen gay men, which led to mainly negative outcomes. Of the sixteen men, 10% developed suicidal ideation, 20% developed anxiety, and 40% developed depression (Bancroft). Bancroft also reported that conversion therapy had harmful effects on 50% of the participants involved in the study. While that study may be over forty years old, the data collected remains relevant. A 2013 survey given to those who have undergone conversion therapy revealed that more than 90% of the surveyees felt emotional harm during therapy, and more than 80% continue to endure that emotional harm (Shapiro). Gay author Jallen Rix conducted the survey and had this to say about its results, “If anything, the research shows that no one changed.” In a way, Rix is

Historically, male rape in ancient rime periods was considered a right of victorious solider against soldiers of the defeated warring faction. The philosophy behind this was the male who was sexually penetrated lost his “manhood” and was no longer seen as a warrior in the public’s eye. This custom has been practiced as late as World War 1 and World War II in the European countries. Back during Roman times, in Persia and Iran, gang raping was the absolute punishment for adulterers and men who slept with women from other cultures. In modern day when talking about male rape, we only hear about it happening in hails and prisons. However, within the last couple of decades male rape in the general population been brought to the attention of the public. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics from 1994, approximately 60,000 males aged [twelve] and older were raped in 1992 and, in the [ten] years from 1975 to 1985 , 123,000 males were raped (Sexual Assault).

In the article “Psychologist say Sexual Orientation cannot be changed.” By Dr. Eric Anthony Grollman talks about therapy failing to change sexual orientation: ‘The supposed success rate of conversion therapy really indicates the ability for individuals to suppress their sexual desires, not to change them.”. This indicates that therapy doesn’t necessarily change homosexuality, but only their desires. Study also shows that conversion therapy lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide according to the Human rights campaign. This is caused by people not being able to be accepted by others and not having the freedom to be

Some authors believe that homosexuality is not a kind of conduct, as commonly supposed, but a psychological condition (Woggon, 1981). Thus, it is important to understand that the genuine homosexual condition or inversion, as it is often termed. This condition is something for which the subject is in no way responsible. Some literature suggests that homosexuality in itself it is morally neutral. Like the condition of heterosexuality, however, it tends to find expression in specific sexual acts; and such acts are subject to moral judgment (McNeill, 1966).