Motion for a resolution | Doc. 13498 | 15 April 2014

Gay to straight conversion therapy and regulation of psychotherapists

Signatories: Mr Geraint DAVIES, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Joe BENTON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Robert BIEDROŃ, Poland, SOC ; Ms Gülsün BİLGEHAN, Turkey, SOC ; Ms Delia BLANCO, Spain, SOC ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway, SOC ; Ms Ismeta DERVOZ, Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPP/CD ; Ms Doris FIALA, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Andreas GROSS, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Jonas GUNNARSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Françoise HETTO-GAASCH, Luxembourg, EPP/CD ; Ms Trine Pertou MACH, Denmark, UEL ; Mr Thierry MARIANI, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Michael McNAMARA, Ireland, SOC ; Mr Michele NICOLETTI, Italy, SOC ; Ms Fatiha SAÏDI, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Maria Edera SPADONI, Italy, NR ; Ms Tineke STRIK, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Chiora TAKTAKISHVILI, Georgia, ALDE ; Mr Konstantinos TRIANTAFYLLOS, Greece, SOC ; Mr Snorre Serigstad VALEN, Norway, UEL ; Mr Nikolaj VILLUMSEN, Denmark, UEL ; Ms Gisela WURM, Austria, SOC ; Ms Kristýna ZELIENKOVÁ, Czech Republic, ALDE

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The Parliamentary Assembly notes the existence and promotion of gay to straight conversion therapy within member States of the Council of Europe and the lack of required training and regulation of psychotherapists carrying it out. It acknowledges that such treatment is ineffective and that being gay is not a disease needing treatment nor a moral disorder needing correction.

The Assembly calls for an evaluation of the extent and growth of such therapy and associated regulation across member States and the action needed to ensure evidence based therapy delivered by qualified therapists.