British church compensates man subjected to ‘gay conversion’ ritual

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A 37-year-old man, Matthew Drapper, received financial compensation from a religious congregation in Sheffield, northern England, after being subjected to an exorcism ritual intended to suppress his sexual orientation. This is considered the first recognized case in the United Kingdom in which a victim of a practice regarded as “conversion therapy” motivated by religious belief has received legal compensation.

The incident took place in 2014, during a religious retreat organized by the Anglican-Baptist parish St Thomas Philadelphia. Matthew was a volunteer at the church and had been invited to an event called the Encounter God Weekend. During the activity, religious leaders declared that his “sexual impurity” made him susceptible to demonic influence and performed a ritual to “cast them out”.

Years later, Drapper described the psychological impact of the event, stating: “Looking back, it feels like something out of a horror movie – having someone stand over you saying they can see demons coming out of your body is pretty terrifying… but when you’re deeply involved with the church, as I was at the time, it’s easy to believe everything they say.”

After the incident, he reported struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. In 2016, he cut ties with the church. In 2019, he filed a formal complaint. The Diocese of Sheffield hired the organization Barnardo’s to investigate the case. The 2022 report concluded that it was an exorcism aimed at sexual reorientation.

Following the conclusion of the internal inquiry, Matthew filed a legal claim and reached a financial settlement of an undisclosed amount, estimated to be in the five-figure range. According to lawyer Richard Scorer, who handled the case, this is “the first damages payment for exorcism or conversion practice in the UK.” He added that the episode should serve as a warning to religious institutions that use spiritual justifications to carry out discriminatory practices against LGBTQ+ individuals.

The parish involved in the case issued a public apology, acknowledging failures in the way it cared for members of the community.

Author of “Bringing Me Back to Me“, Drapper is currently planning to launch a digital platform that will serve as a space of support and listening for other victims of similar practices. The United Kingdom, although it has promised to ban conversion therapies since 2018, has yet to implement definitive legislation.

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