Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Formally ban the use of the "Gay Panic Defence"
Closed
542 signatures
What the petition asks
The "Gay Panic defence", used in legal proceedings to allow acts of harsh violence as a result of unwanted same sex sexual or romantic advances, needs to be eradicated from UK law. People guilty of violent offences should not be able to use this defence to evade justice.
The "Gay Panic Defence" is a legal tactic in which a defendant argues that any offences they committed were in a state of violent, temporary psychosis as a result of unwelcome same-sex sexual advances. This 'defence' - has been used to excuse acts of brutality against homosexuals and transgender individuals. The use of this defence must be formally banned.
Timeline
| 19 Apr 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 19 Oct 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
542
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
19 Apr 2021
Closed
19 Oct 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.