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Senate hearing on Bill 184 hears survivor testimony and professional support, but witnesses urge clarifying language to cover church counseling
Summary
Witnesses at a Senate committee hearing said conversion therapies harm minors and supported Senate Bill 184’s prohibition but urged lawmakers to clarify language so unregulated religious counseling and spiritual interventions are not excluded.
A Senate committee hearing on Senate Bill 184 heard testimony from the Colegio de Profesionales del Trabajo Social and a survivor who urged lawmakers to broaden the bill’s protections to capture religious and informal counseling practices that aim to change sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill seeks to amend Law 408 (2000) and Law 246 (2011) to prohibit conversion or reparative therapies for minors.
Lidael Vega, first vice president of the Colegio de Profesionales del Trabajo Social, told the committee that conversion therapies are incompatible with the profession’s code of ethics and “revictimiza a los participantes” (SEG 052-055). “Prohibir las terapias reparativas o de conversión nos encaminan a ser un país más justo y equitativo para toda la ciudadanía,” she said, and noted the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) “se opone a enseñar a estudiantes de…
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