Doctor who tried to cure homosexuality to speak at Australian child sex abuse victim event

Although this situation seems to have been rectified (see below), it is one that never should have happened if the first place.

A US clinical psychologist who practised therapies aimed at "curing" homosexuality has been billed as a star speaker at an Australian event hosted by a Jewish advocacy group for child sexual abuse victims.

Norman Goldwasser, who applied conversion or reparative therapies to treat same-sex attraction, is the keynote speaker at Tzedek Australia's Melbourne education forum in September.

Several survivors of child sexual abuse in the Jewish community, including the founder and former chief executive of Tzedek, have condemned Dr Goldwasser's involvement.

Several Tzedek board members have threatened to resign if Dr Goldwasser attends the event.
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Founder of Tzedek and survivor of child sexual abuse Manny Waks said he had advised the current chief executive of the organisation not to invite the controversial figure.

"Victims of conversion therapy must be looking at what Tzedek is doing and feeling very upset," Mr Waks said.

"As the founder of Tzedek, it's really disappointing for me to see that we are hurting members of the Jewish LGBTQ community and victims of child sexual abuse in this way.

Doctor who tried to cure homosexuality to speak at Australian child sex abuse victim event

UPDATE::  Jewish group for sex abuse victims cancels invitation to doctor who tried to 'cure' gays

However, on Friday, Tzedek recanted in the face of opposition, saying it had planned to bring Dr Goldwasser to Australia, but was no longer doing so.

"We have taken on board concerns raised by the LGBTI community. As a result we have reviewed the matter and decided that it is no longer appropriate for Dr Goldwasser to speak at the forum," a spokesman said.

Several survivors of child sexual abuse in the Jewish community had condemned Dr Goldwasser's involvement and several Tzedek board members threatened to resign if he attended the event.

The founder of Tzedek, Manny Waks, himself a survivor of child sexual abuse, said he had advised the current chief executive of the organisation not to invite the controversial figure.