The Persistence of Conversion Practices in Europe

An estimated one-quarter of LGBTI+ individuals in the EU have faced attempts to alter their sexual orientation or gender identity. While nine member states—including Malta, Germany, and as of June, the Netherlands—have implemented comprehensive bans, the practice remains widespread. Sanctions vary significantly, ranging from one year of imprisonment in Germany to five-year sentences in Portugal for cases involving irreversible harm.

The Shift Toward Subtle Manipulation

Practitioners have largely abandoned the overt brutality of electric shocks and physical violence described by survivors like Edward. Instead, coercion has retreated into the shadows of "spiritual renewal" programs and support groups. Cianán Russell, senior policy director at ILGA, notes that perpetrators have adapted to increased societal awareness by stripping away explicit "pray the gay away" language. Tomasz Puła experienced this firsthand in Krakow, where a Pentecostal-affiliated group framed the suppression of his sexuality as a path to becoming a "real man" through prayer and communal sports. Despite the push for an EU-wide ban, social stigma and the rebranding of these practices as self-actualization continue to shield them from oversight.