SurvivingSOGICE seeks testimonies from conversion therapy survivors in Europe
UiB launches Digital Platform amplifying survivor voices against conversion practices.
Published: (Updated: )
The University of Bergen's Center for Digital Narrative (CDN) launches SurvivingSOGICE, a digital platform and human rights initiative dedicated to collecting stories about the practices commonly known as "conversion therapy" (SOGICE – Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts).
"By documenting and preserving survivor testimonies, we are building both a space for remembrance and a powerful tool for advocacy,” explains Sérgio Roxo, project creator and PhD Candidate at the University of Bergen
“This platform directly exposes practices that continue to cause profound harm to LGBTQIA+ individuals, while inspiring researchers, advocates, and creators to sustain this vital conversation—particularly in our current challenging political climate.”
Despite being condemned and discredited by leading medical and psychological organizations worldwide, SOGICE continues to cause significant harm to LGBTQIA+ individuals across Europe and beyond.
SurvivingSOGICE addresses this critical human rights issue by centering survivor testimonies, curating essential resources, and building a comprehensive digital archive for research, advocacy, and education—with particular focus on survivors of these practices in Europe and those who have migrated to the continent.
"SurvivingSOGICE is fundamentally about creating visibility and recognition for those whose voices have been silenced," says Roxo.
SurvivingSOGICE is:
- An emerging digital archive – A living repository documenting survivor voices, media coverage, academic research, and advocacy materials related to SOGICE practices throughout Europe, with expanded features launching in the coming months.
- A collaborative knowledge hub – Organizations, researchers, and allies can contribute resources, documentation, and country-specific insights to build a comprehensive understanding of SOGICE across different contexts.
- A catalyst for change – Designed to increase public awareness, inform evidence-based policy decisions, and strengthen human rights advocacy efforts.
Institutional Collaboration
This initiative emerges from doctoral research at the University of Bergen, developed through collaboration with:
- The Research Group for Emerging Media | Department of Information and Media Studies, UiB
- Center for Digital Narrative | Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, UiB
- Skeivt Arkiv (external link) (The Norwegian Archive for Queer History)
- SkeivForsk – the cross-faculty group for LGBTQ+ research at the University of Bergen
The project's visual identity and digital infrastructure are supported by the Nordic Gender Fund (external link) at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Get Involved
Organizations, researchers, survivors, and allies are invited to contribute to this growing initiative. The platform accepts testimonies, resources, research materials, and documentation from across Europe.
Click here (external link) to download more promotional resources.
Media Contact:
Sérgio Roxo
PhD Candidate, University of Bergen
Center for Digital Narrative (CDN)
Email: info@survivingsogice.eu
Social Media: @survivingsogice – Instagram (external link), Facebook (external link), TikTok (external link)
About the Center for Digital Narrative (CDN):
Humanities-driven research in electronic literature, games studies, digital culture, and computation to advance understanding of digital narrative.
CDN is a Norwegian Centre of Research Excellence funded by the Norwegian Research Council from 2023-2033. CDN focuses on algorithmic narrativity, new environments and materialities, and shifting cultural contexts.