BBC: Rape centre breaks away from charity in row over gender [Glasgow]

Looks like the BBC article has been updated - don't remember seeing this earlier:

"Katie Cosgrove, co-chair of Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis, said the centre was not changing the way its service is run - rather that the decision was to "publicly disassociate" from RCS.

Asked what the impact of the move would be on service users, she said she was "not clear on what kind of impact that might be".

She said she recognised there was a need for trans women to use the service and that the centre had seen a "small number" of trans women - 17 in the last year.

A condition of the charity's funding from the Scottish government is that services are trans-inclusive. The Glasgow centre will continue to support trans women who seek support but will not employ trans women.

Ms Cosgrove said: "We believe very strongly in the rights of women to have single-sex services within a rape crisis setting and we believe, to ensure that they are protected and that risk is minimised, that it should be an all-female workforce."

So this makes it sound as though it won't necessarily be women-only in terms of service users after all. Perhaps it's been misreported by the BBC, as the link posted above to GCRC's own site mentions "triaging enquiries from all survivors of rape and sexual abuse", which to me suggests that male people, if they approached the centre, would be signposted elsewhere.

Confused now.

solidarity, sisters ✊

I heard that and really thought the interviewer could have asked a follow up question. ie as I tried to explain up thread, it isn't about what one individual believes, let alone an individual in a power position using it to further their personal politics, but about their role.

Could at least have asked, accepting the wishy washy same sex provision might be needed, why then has Glasgow and Clyde RC resigned from the federation.

I thought the introduction to the interview, was in fact quite good. ie making it clear it is about biological women only want to work with, get support from other biological women. Must have had the BBC rainbow staff network getting very cross!

That's okay. I was thinking, not just because not everybody knows about the charity sector, but not everyone knows about schools, courts or whatever, so if somehow FWR could (self?) create a FWRwiki?

Then it would be something to refer to.

PS Dont think even those in the charity sector know about the whole sector, just the bit they work in. And maybe, or it would seem, even they dont know how their bit of the sector works or should work sadly.

The mere sight of SB gives me the rage. I may have shouted something at the telly.

Some Sandy woman just interviewed on Reporting Scotland trying explain the Scottish policy. In essence she said that she believes trans women are women, but also thinks that biology is important especially in rape crisis support.

Ok then....

@IwantToRetire Thanks for explaining. I have no clue what their funding situation is or how it is distributed because I've never worked in the charity sector and (as my user name suggests) I've been suspended for about two years so have missed rather a lot of threads on all this.

I dont think this has been posted but this is their press release. Good to share their own words far and wide.

Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis ends membership of Rape Crisis Scotland Oct 24, 2024

Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis (GCRC) announces it is leaving the Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS) network. GCRC’s Board has taken the decision following a long and careful review.

A spokeswoman for the Board said:

“As part of our review, we engaged in dialogue with the leadership of RCS to address our concerns, and those of GCRC’s management team, regarding the direction and focus of the network under its stewardship.

“After careful consideration, we have concluded that the interests of our organisation, and those that rely on our services, will be best served and represented outwith membership of RCS. As an independent operator, we will continue to work productively and collaboratively with our sister rape crisis centres.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have done so to hold fast to our principles and to best serve the women and girls that need our support.

“We were created to provide support by and for women. We believe, and women have consistently told us, that single-sex services delivered by an all-female workforce are crucial to help them heal from sexual trauma. This approach remains our priority but is at odds with RCS’.”

GCRC services will not change. It will continue to support women and girls in the Glasgow and Clyde area who have experienced rape or sexual violence. This includes triaging enquiries from all survivors of rape and sexual abuse to help survivors to identify and access the support they need.

Annually, GCRC supports thirty per cent of all survivors who receive a service from the Scottish rape crisis network, with a service area covering one-fifth of Scotland’s population.

Whilst the relationship between GCRC and RCS is changing, both organisations remain committed to maintaining the current national programmes and services that GCRC delivers. This includes the Scottish Government-funded National Advocacy and National Prevention Projects.

For media enquiries, contact us via [email protected] or call 07751 805 508.

https://www.glasgowclyderapecrisis.org.uk/news/news-on-our-future/

There is no such thing as a central pot of money!

Each Rape Crisis Centre is an autonomous group, and run (however well or badly) by their Trustees, and as such any donations would go to that legal entity.

Rape Crisis Scotland just as Rape Crisis England and Wales is, and they are the administerative group for the 2 federations of Rape Crisis Centes.

And as has been posted on other threads the "standards" of the federation are in fact a joint document by both Federations.

And whilst its really good, and extremely brave of Glasgow and Clyde RCC to break away, the reality is that Rape Crisis Scotland should be made to give up the role of administering the federation in Scotland because they are in breach of their own guidelines.

But in that they wont, maybe the other RCCs in Scotland that have similar guidelines, and being practised, should start their own federation. Reminder that these RCC committed to single sex provision were identified in the report by FWS https://forwomen.scot/04/10/2024/rape-crisis-centres-by-women-and-for-women/

Each of whom could probably do with donations!

This is, not just in the charity sector, but when a group set up to help a network of like minded groups, decides to over step its remit and start to think it can dictate to federated groups rather than performing its function of helping them to do their work. And of course the deadly influence of politicians and funders who love to be able to say they are in touch with frontline groups because they have spoken to a central office.

(Reluctant as I am to have to add a label to the word woman or female, the TRAs have so co-opted these words that particularly for service users it should always be spelt out, ie services are by / for woman (sex) or female sex.

That's perfect, thanks! Sounds like they handle their own money.

My donation receipt is from Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Limited if that helps you at all?@WomenShouldStillWinWomensSportsIsBack

I'm afraid Amazon Smile no longer exists. It was closed early last year. I used it for years and was disappointed when Amazon notified me it was closing.

Just to double check, do we know have they definitely changed their links so those donations don't go to a centralised "pot" for Rape Crisis but go directly to the centre now instead? I'd hate to donate and find out the money isn't going to them after all.

https://news.sky.com/story/rape-crisis-centre-cuts-ties-with-scottish-charity-in-row-over-gender-and-women-only-spaces-13240206

Have sent a small donation too. Super easy to do, and brilliant that they are also on Amazon smile.

I hope they recieve many donations today, and that it heartening them!

Donated. Good for them

I donated, just a small amount unfortunately, just a thank you for their stand. May many more women only services follow suit. 👍

Well done to them and I have also donated to them. This should never have happened in the first place, but there we are. I still think Sandy brindley needs to resign. However it's clear that the whole of RCS needs to change. I don't think it will focus on the needs of women and girls with so many people like Sandy still embedded in the centres and organisation.

Great work Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis! Have donated.

Excellent - thank you, Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis, for unequivocally putting the needs of your women service users first, unlike RCS. You put them to shame.

Well done Glasgow and Clyde, I will donate.

Hope they manage to cope with not having access to Brindley's wisdom and support.

Let’s hope many other follow Glasgow’s actions

This was featured on the BBC radio Scotland lunchtime news and I think they said at the end of the article that G&CRC will receive funding directly from Scot Gov. If this is correct, it indicates an important change of policy within Scot Gov. Does anyone know if this is correct?

Have done so, and it was easy. I hope that they get lots of randoms like me donating from far away.

Don't know if mentioned yet but Charities Commission is irrelevant.

And OSCR is weaker than the CC.