A woman who received more than 200 electric shocks (leaving her with severe burns and attacks of blindness) in an attempt to “cure” her sexuality has called on the New Zealand government to acknowledge the torture inflicted on her and others.

Joan Bellingham She has also been left with memory loss as a result of what she calls “torture”, which included being forced to take a cocktail of drugs, while under care at Princess Margaret Hospital, Christchurch, between 1970 and 1982.

He made a claim through the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) in 1987 for burns to his scalp, but had to wait 12 years before receiving NZ$10,000 (£4,600/$5,970) in compensation for the burns. and $1,500 (£695/$895). for the resulting chronic headaches.

In 2012, he approached the Crown Health Funding Agency and received a “welfare payment” of $4,000 (£1,850/$2,390) and part of his legal costs, but the deal had to remain secret and the authorities refused to admit any irregularity.

But, speaking with Radio New Zealand, It is now calling on the government to recognize torture carried out under the guise of medical treatment in facilities across New Zealand.

‘Horrible pain’

Bellingham’s electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) records have been lost, meaning the extent of what happened will never be fully revealed. However, some remaining documents detail the hundreds of shocks to which she was subjected.

She claimed to have received electric shocks more than 200 times, simply for being a lesbian.

“Every time I went in I knew I was going to experience horrible pain,” he said.

“They injected me with something that paralyzed me. There was someone standing there with the ECT box, and someone (who) was in recovery (was) moaning and complaining. I knew that would be me, if I survived. Every time I thought I was going to die.

“I can remember the pain, the horrible headaches afterwards, the continuous vomiting, going blind at times, severe burns on the head and leaking. Even so, they would give me shock treatment again the same day.”

‘Like a deadly drug’

The pseudoscientific practice of conversion therapy ranges from the electric shocks Bellingham suffered to psychoanalysis, aversion treatments, nausea-inducing drugs, or simply “praying gays away.” All forms have been rejected by mainstream medical and mental health organizations for decades.

Bellingham recalled the “deadly drug,” which left her in “horrible pain.” A doctor asked him “many inappropriate sexual questions,” he added.

“If they were doing something to cure someone who was sick, it would be a different cup of tea. When I came in I was not sick. They were giving me this indescribable pain, they were taking away my memory, they were taking away my personality, they were making me blind, they burned my head.

“That’s torture for me.”

He also claimed that a child who was also undergoing “treatment” later took his own life.

The Director General of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Sarfati, apologized on Tuesday (November 12) to all those who suffered abuse in state-run health and care facilities between 1950 and 1999.

In a statement to PinkNews, a Ministry of Health spokesperson said: “The Ministry acknowledges the survivors who shared their experiences with the Royal Commission. The Ministry also recognizes survivors who did not or could no longer participate in the investigation.

“The Ministry of Health, in particular, recognizes the harm suffered by people in health and mental health services. “Any harm, and especially any abuse as a result of the trust placed in government institutions, is unacceptable.”

Suicide can be prevented. Readers affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), or call 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). US readers are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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