Proposal of alternative solutions to address children’s rights violation: Conversion therapy
Abstract
This article aims to expose the effects of, and explore remedies to, attempts by religious organisations and others to alter the sexual or gender orientation of children who express their sexuality and/or gender in non-normative, non-binary or non-traditional ways. It will begin with a brief history of the emergence of such ‘conversion therapies’ or ‘sexual orientation change efforts’ and discuss their effectiveness when applied to children. The article will further discuss the relevance of this to the social work profession, suggest strategies for social work practice and highlight uncertainties in proposed laws in Australia.
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