Conversion therapist sentenced to 15 years for sexually abusing his clients

A conversion therapist in Utah, who admitted to sexually abusing clients he promised to help become straight, received three sentences of five years to life for three counts of felony forcible sodomy. He also entered a no contest plea to charges of sexually abusing a minor.

Scott Dale Owen, a former Mormon bishop and mental health counsellor in Provo, Utah, operated a “person-centered" therapy practice focusing on treating men for their “same-sex attraction,” a phrase often associated with conversion therapy. Police identified over a dozen clients who reported sexual abuse by Owen during their treatment, according to ‘LGBTQ Nation’.

According to a police booking affidavit, “Dr. Owen during his therapy would tell the victims that their relationships with men were broken and his therapy could help them be able to have ‘normal’ relationships with men and eventually women.” He allegedly “used his position as a therapist to coerce the victims into engaging in kissing, cuddling, and sexual touching during therapy sessions.”

A victim recounted that Owen became “increasingly physical,” assured him of “making progress,” and advised him not to discuss the therapy with others because they “may not understand the treatment.” Owen allegedly said that complete trust in him was necessary to be “cured.”

Another victim shared a similar experience as both Owen’s client and ecclesiastical follower. The victim relayed that Owen emphasised focusing on an “intimate and spiritual relationship,” telling him that “he was unique” and that

Owen “had been spiritually prompted” to work with him.

Owen allegedly claimed that “God gives to certain people special permission to do things that are normally wrong,” leading the victim to believe Owen had “religious authority to be sexually intimate with him,” as per the charging documents.

In February, Owen pled guilty to three charges of felony forcible sodomy, receiving prison terms of five years to life, which are to be served consecutively. A plea agreement led to the dismissal of one additional forcible sodomy charge and six charges of object rape.

He also pled no contest to attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, involving a 13-year-old girl who sought therapy in 2007 after a parent's death. Owen would reportedly have her sit on his lap, claiming his “religious authority” could pass through her, and then inappropriately touched her. This case resulted in a sentence of three years to life, served concurrently with his other sentences.

Collectively, Owen was sentenced to fifteen years to life in prison.

In 2016, Owen was reprimanded by the Utah Division of Professional Licensing for inappropriate contact with a client, according to disciplinary records.

The agency stated that between 2013 and 2018, Owen “again inappropriately touched a number of other clients” receiving his treatment. Following these allegations, Owen relinquished his license but continued to be involved at the Canyon Counseling Center in Provo, where the abuse occurred.