Mississippi man: I was raped during ‘gay cure’ sessions
A Mississippi man is claiming that he was repeatedly raped as a teen to try and ‘cure’ his homosexuality .
32-year-old Jeff White, who now heads the Mississippi Gulf Coast Rainbow Center, came out to his family a a teenager in 1996 while a student at the religious Bethel Baptist School.
According to the National Center for Lesbian Rights, White was sent to a conversion therapy counsellor, who allegedly raped and sexually abused the boy over a period of three years to try and ‘cure’ him.
The group claims that the teacher “began subjecting White to weekly ‘counseling’ sessions in which he regularly raped and sexually assaulted the teenager to convince him that being gay was more painful than suppressing his sexual orientation”.
Mr White said: “After growing older and witnessing so many who are still harmed by the church and by efforts to correct homosexuality through traumatic and damaging tactics like the ones used against me, I finally realized that it is my duty to stand up against those who have harmed me.
“By speaking out against the wrongdoings that were committed within the walls of Bethel Baptist School, I hope to shed light on the darkness that is so easily hidden within the church, and to help ensure that no one else suffers the pain that I had to endure.”
The NCLR has filed a complaint with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department on behalf of Mr White.
He added: “I am extremely grateful to NCLR staff attorney Samantha Ames and the NCLR team for assisting me and so many others who have been hurt by the immoral practices of conversion therapy.”
