3. The Aversion Project

During the 70s and 80s, South African doctors performed ghastly experiments on gay soldiers to “cure” them. Subjects underwent aversion shock therapy, hormone treatment, and chemical castration. When all else failed, they were given sex-change operations.

The program was led by Dr. Aubrey Levin, a psychologist and army colonel.

 

Test subject Jean Erasmus recorded a tape describing how he was castrated by Levine before committing suicide in 1999. It was featured in the Aversion Project, a study commissioned by the Medical Research Council to explore these experiments.

Levin fled to Canada in the 90s, while being investigated for human-rights violations. He worked as a doctor there until 2012, when he was arrested for sexually assaulting male patients. In 2013, he was sentenced to five years in prison.