The Act to Protect against Conversion Treatments () is a German federal law. It prohibits the use of conversion therapy (called conversion treatment in the Act) on minors and adults who have not given their effective consent, and makes it a criminal offence. Conversion treatments are defined as treatments "aimed at changing or suppressing sexual orientation or self-perceived gender identity", but not the treatment of "medically recognised disorders of sexual preference" or surgical and hormonal gender-affirming measures.

Public advertising, offering and brokering conversion therapies is punishable as an administrative offence. Brokering conversion therapy for a minor is generally punishable as aiding and abetting the performance of the treatment in accordance with § 27 German Criminal Code in conjunction with § 5 of this Act if the brokered conversion therapy was performed.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that both homosexuality and transgender identity are not mental disorders, and that there is no indication for therapy. Since 1991, homosexuality has no longer been listed as a mental disorder in the ICD-10, and "transsexualism" was removed from the chapter on mental disorders when the ICD-11 came into force in 2022.

In 2013, the World Medical Association condemned conversion therapy as a violation of human rights that is incompatible with medical ethics. The following year, the German Medical Assembly of the German Medical Association issued a warning about its negative health effects.

Counselling service The Act requires the Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG) to offer free and anonymous counselling. This is to be provided as a telephone and online counselling service for people affected by conversion therapy or their relatives, as well as for people in general who are dealing with issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. It is provided via the website Liebesleben.de (see External links).

References

External links

Text of the Act to Protect against Conversion Treatments Get advice! – On the website Liebesleben.de for counselling and advice from the Federal Institute of Public Health