![\"Conversion](\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Conversion-Therapy.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nABC\u2019s <\/span>20\/20<\/i><\/a><\/strong> is set to air an investigation into the harmful practice of gay<\/a> conversion therapy<\/a> on Friday evening.<\/span><\/p>\n Conversion therapy is a discredited mix of psychological treatments and faith-based counselling aimed at changing a person\u2019s sexual orientation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Treatments in the past have included chemical castration, hormonal therapy, electroshock therapy, the use of nausea-inducing drugs and masturbatory reconditioning.<\/span><\/p>\n The practice has has been outlawed for licensed mental health providers in California, Oregon, New Jersey, Vermont, Illinois and Washington, D.C.\u00a0<\/span>The <\/span>20\/20<\/span><\/i> report<\/b><\/a> reveals that many camps are not operating as licensed mental health facilities and are therefore not covered by laws prohibiting the practice.<\/span><\/p>\n ABC also explores a conversion therapy program in Alabama in which Christian pastors were convicted of child abuse following allegations of beatings administered to teens<\/a> who resisted efforts to change their sexual orientation.<\/span><\/p>\n Peter Sprigg<\/a> of listed hate group Family Research Council<\/a>\u00a0(FRC) told ABC News:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI certainly hope that [Trump\u2019s] administration will pull back from some of the aggressive activism that the Obama administration engaged in.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs a Christian, I believe that the Bible teaches that to choose to engage in homosexual conduct is a sin.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf someone is experiencing something mentally, like same-sex<\/a> attractions, that is causing distress, then that\u2019s a mental health issue.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Sprigg denied that physical abuse takes place during conversion sessions. <\/span><\/p>\n He added that FRC does not believe that \u201csame-sex<\/a> attractions are a choice\u201d but that he also does \u201cnot believe that experiencing same-sex<\/a> attractions is a normal and natural variant of human sexuality.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Watch ABC interviews with two conversion therapy survivors below.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The post ABC \u201920\/20\u2032 Report Looks Inside The Controversial Practice of Conversion Therapy: WATCH<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\nRELATED:\u00a0Watch This Shocking Report on How Gay Conversion Therapy Began \u2013 VIDEO<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n