Switzerland’s Federal Council has said it would consider a nationwide ban on so-called conversion practices aimed at changing or suppressing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, reported RTS.
In a new report, the government said it firmly rejects such practices, which it said can cause considerable harm. Although it considers existing legal protections broadly adequate, it noted that several cantons have introduced, or are preparing, their own restrictions. A federal ban could therefore provide a clearer and more uniform framework.
Conversion practices are intended to alter or suppress homosexuality, bisexuality, transgender identity or other forms of sexual and gender diversity. They can range from psychological pressure and verbal manipulation to interventions that infringe on a person’s physical integrity. They may take place in religious communities, families, schools, medical settings or psychotherapy.
The available evidence suggests that such practices still occur in Switzerland. According to the Swiss LGBTIQ+ Panel, 15.5% of transgender respondents and 9.5% of lesbian, gay and bisexual respondents said they had experienced pressure to change or suppress their sexual orientation or gender identity. Such experiences were particularly common during childhood and adolescence and often occurred in religious settings, though cases were also reported in families, schools and health-care institutions.
Conversion practices can cause serious psychological harm, including anxiety, depression and diminished self-esteem, and may damage social relationships.
The Federal Council said it could not determine precisely how widespread the practices remain because the available data are limited. Even so, it noted broad political and social support for an outright ban and said federal legislation could send a clear signal.
Parliament would first have to give the government a mandate to act. One possible route is a previously suspended motion that could be revived by the Council of States. Andrea Caroni, president of the chamber’s legal-affairs committee, could bring the proposal forward in the fourth quarter of the year at the earliest.
The report also stresses that existing professional rules already restrict such practices. Psychiatrists, psychologists and other health-care professionals must remain within the bounds of professional law and ethics. Purported treatments intended to “cure” homosexuality may amount to a breach of professional duties, whether they are directed at minors or adults. Professional associations for psychology and psychotherapy also prohibit discrimination and the improper use of religious influence in treatment.
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RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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