Queen’s University Belfast has expressed regret over its use of “gay aversion therapy” in the 1960s and 1970s.
Patients going through the treatment were shown “mildly pornographic” images. If the patient became aroused, they were administered an electric shock.
Speaking to BBC News, a spokesperson for Queen’s said: “The use of these techniques have for a long time not been supported by Queen’s University or the NHS.”
“While we cannot change practices of the past, Queen’s University is fully committed to creating and sustaining an environment that values diversity and strongly supports its LGBT+ community.”
Speaking to BBC News under the pseudonym “John”, a former student at Queen’s who went through the treatment, described the practice as “barbaric”.
“When I pressed the button that meant I was aroused, then after 15 or 30 seconds if I didn’t press the button again they would give me a shock”, he said.
“They would continue giving me a shock until I pressed the button again to say I was no longer experiencing any arousal”, he said. “Yes it was painful. It was pretty horrible.”
John added: “You would then associate any gay, homosexual feelings with something unpleasant – a conditioned reflex really.”
Speaking to BBC News, Dr Tommy Dickinson, the Head of the department of mental health nursing at King’s College London, said that around 1,000 people in the UK underwent similar treatment.
“That might seem a relatively small number, but that’s not to negate the negative impact that had on those people”, he said.
“There is no evidence that the treatment worked”, he said. “In fact, the only evidence I came across was that it had a lasting detrimental effect on these people.”
In January 2019, a group of high-profile campaigners and human rights activists penned a letter to the UK Parliament petitioning for marriage equality in Northern Ireland, where same-sex marriage is still prohibited by law.
In July, MPs at Westminster voted overwhelmingly to extend same-sex marriage and abortion rights to Northern Ireland if the government at Stormont is not restored by October 21st.
