Belgian parliamentary committee approves ban on conversion therapy
Begium's State secretary for gender equality and diversity Marie-Colline Leroy. She is behind hte proposal to ban conversion therapy in Belgium. Photo AFP, Benoit Doppagne
Western Europe
The Parliamentary Justice Committee in Belgium has approved a bill that criminalises conversion therapies.
According to the bill, anyone who participates in conversion practices risks a prison sentence between 8 days and two years and a fine of between 208 and 2,400 euros, Euractiv reports. And if the conversion therapy takes place in a professional environment, a judge could also ban someone from doing his job for up to 5 years.
Not only offering conversion therapies but also suggesting, inciting or advertising conversion therapy is punishable by the law if the proposal comes into force.
The members of the parliamentary committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposal. Only the right-wing conservative Vlaams Belang party abstained.
Penal Code
Vlaams Belang MP Marijke Dillen questioned why conversion therapy was dealt with in a new law proposal instead of in an amendment of the current Criminal Code. Many of the practices mentioned in the proposal, such as physical abuse and corrective rape, are already illegal by the Penal Code as it is today, she points out. “There is no need for a new law in that sense.”
In addition, she wondered why violence against police officers was not an issue of debate, as it happened more often than conversion practices take place, she argued.
State Secretary for Equality Marie-Colline Leroy said during the debate that transgender care will not fall under the ban on conversion therapies.
Pioneer
Leroy submitted the proposal together with Justice Minister Vincent van Quickenborne. Leroy said she was proud that Belgium is “once again a pioneer in the field of LGTBQI+ rights with the adoption of the law prohibiting conversion practices.”
To be implemented, the proposal still needs the approval of the rest of the Belgium Parliament.
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