Who We Are
SOGICE Survivors was founded by a group of survivors of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts, otherwise known as LGBTQA+ conversion practices.
SOGICE Survivors represents the combination of lived experience, expertise, research, and perspectives from long-term survivor support. Our impact has grown to include direct advocacy and coordination with governments and diverse LGBTQA+ organisations across Australia.
Between 2018 and 2020 we produced the SOGICE Survivor Statement, a document that calls on Australian Federal, State and Territory Governments to join a growing number of jurisdictions across the world in intervening to prevent the harm caused by LGBTQA+ conversion ideology and practices.
SOGICE Survivors developed the Statement using participatory approaches to policy development and the principle that survivors and survivor experts are best placed to accurately define the movement, conversion practices and conversion ideology. The SOGICE Survivor Statement therefore presents a much more informed and nuanced image of the conversion movement than is commonly seen in articles, publications and presentations from non-survivors.
The SOGICE Survivor Statement is the product of combined input from a range of sources including:
- Brave Network’s long-term survivor peer support
- Consultation with LGBTQA+ advocates and organisations across Australia
- SOGICE Survivors’ interaction with lawmakers in other jurisdictions around the world
- The strongest aspects of legislation from other jurisdictions
- Recommendations from the Human Rights Law Centre / La Trobe University 2018 report Preventing Harm, Promoting Justice, many of which were derived from SOGICE Survivors’ original recommendations
- La Trobe University 2020 report Healing Spiritual Harms and subsequent publications
- Recommendations published in reports and submissions from Thorne Harbour Health (Victoria), partially derived from SOGICE Survivors’ work
- The Health Complaints Commissioner’s inquiry (Victoria, 2018) into conversion practices
- Recommendations made by the producers of Inside Ex-gay, a JOY 94.9 (Melbourne) radio series produced by Dean Beck and Nathan Despott (2013-2017)
Please note: SOGICE Survivors functions as the advocacy arm of Brave Network. Brave is a non-incorporated entity with a steering committee and an auspicing body (Thorne Harbour Health). SOGICE Survivors is run by survivors of conversion practices and their allies. All information, including guidelines and recommendations, produced by SOGICE Survivors is provided in good faith and should not take the place of advice from health professionals, professional legal advice or legal requirements. SOGICE Survivors advises all individuals and organisations to seek professional, clinical guidance before using any resources focused on conversion practices survivor support in practice. The information provided is not designed for use in crisis situations or legal matters.