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Original poster

Self ID women being asked to volunteer in Devon Rape Crisis Centre *Triggering - rape*

503 replies

Theendofmyrope · 26/08/2019 20:34

AIBU to think this is just fucking insane? Is this how it is going to be from now on? As the parent of a rape victim I feel beyond angry. Is no place safe for women now?

OP posts:
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8
FFSFFSFFS · 27/08/2019 14:32

Here you go PinkyU - this is the demographic they cater for.

Focuses particularly on womens and girls with a limited service for young me between 13-25.

We offer a counselling service for young men aged 13-25; please see details of this service here support for young people and young men can also call our telephone helpline or use our email support service.

While Rape Crisis focuses particularly on the needs of women and girls, and on providing specialist services within women-only safe spaces, we of course recognise that the impacts of sexual violence on the lives of men and boys are no less devastating and we believe all survivors of sexual violence deserve specialist support. If you are aged over 25 please find some links below which detail support for men:

FFSFFSFFS · 27/08/2019 14:36

PinkyU - so did you spot what the service is not about?

I don't think anyone has said on this threat that men who think they are women don't deserve their own special support services. The point is that men who think that they are women should not be involved in a rape crisis centre centring on women and girls.

bd67th · 27/08/2019 14:37

the centre seek to have a representative staff to meet the needs of its service users.

Evidence please. Where does it say that on the website?

Counter-evidence:

"Devon RCSAS is looking for women volunteers to represent our diverse community and join our team." Second sentence of their volunteer recruitment page. Emphasis mine.

The staff are all female.

PinkyU · 27/08/2019 14:50

Give them a call and ask them, they’re very friendly and will accommodate generic answers.

FFSFFSFFS · 27/08/2019 14:52

What am I asking PinkyU?

Am I asking them if they centre people with dicks in their rape support service?

SimplySteveRedux · 27/08/2019 14:53

If men want to do the same, for men, noone is stopping them...

Indeed not, though male society isn't particularly receptive to male victims of rape and sexual assault, actively mocking and shunning them, so I think we'll have another ice age before this happens. Then the issue of males not wanting to discuss their experience with another male, as 1) the rapist was male, 2) the societal factors I mentioned.

Daysofpearlyspencer · 27/08/2019 14:58

Rape Crisis was set up by women, for women. I agree a transwoman should be supported but in a Rape Crisis centre specifically for them, I would support that.

It is known that many late transitioning male to female trans make a bee line for female only support groups, it validates them as women and they get to listen and soak up all that trauma...they have been after getting into Rape Crisis for some time and also Refuge.

Chucklecheeks1 · 27/08/2019 14:59

Not all rape victims are female.

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 27/08/2019 15:05

yet most are, and the vast majority of rapists are.

Toorahtoorahaye · 27/08/2019 15:20

pinky. “Because they have a diverse demographic of service users they support and so are seeking volunteers to meet those needs, in much the same way as they also specify looking for volunteers of BAME/ethni minority in other ads.“

You’re just talking nonsense and making up what you think should be. They’ve always had women volunteers, suddenly they’re advertising for self I’d women - that’s not NB, or gender fluid or men (not men that know they are men anyway). You are such talking absolute shite and twisting facts that I can only assume you are either trolling or just thick

Toorahtoorahaye · 27/08/2019 15:23

And I’d have to wonder at what’s behind a man, a TW who would volunteer to be on intimate terms with women and girls who have been raped and who are dealing with that trauma -,knowing that the majority would prefer to speak to a woman rather than a male.

GrimDamnFanjo · 27/08/2019 15:25

Posters who are reasonably pointing out that it's a positive thing to make trans women counsellors available for trans women hence the need to recruit varied volunteers are missing the point of the ad unfortunately-
When you accept trans women are women then you can't insist there's differences between the two - and that the issue at stake here.
Define "woman" !

GrimDamnFanjo · 27/08/2019 15:25

@Toorahtoorahaye - validation?

Propertyfaux · 27/08/2019 16:29

I do not think people are missing the point, more that the point is irrelevant in relation to their stand point.

ShortCircuit181 · 27/08/2019 16:55

I think it's a bit disingenuous to quote the legal definition of rape but on the other hand ignore that a transwoman is legally a woman.

sanluca · 27/08/2019 17:08

I think it's a bit disingenuous to quote the legal definition of rape but on the other hand ignore that a transwoman is legally a woman.

But they aren't unless they have a GRC and then they can still be excluded by the Equality Act for single sex services, spaces and sports. But the words self identify means they won't have a GRC as otherwise they would have one. The terms for getting one are already not too hard, and a bit stupid except the one that you have to have a medical diagnosis.
So self identify: male who says they are a woman without any medical diagnosis, medical changes or surgery, wants to council women & girls who are looking for support after being raped. And women and girls have to believe that they do this with their best interests at heart, setting their own trauma aside... just plain no. The advert is wrong.

Tgotj · 27/08/2019 17:14

Relizeliz

Women don’t commit rape, they don’t have a penis.

Anyone can commit rape, a penis is not a pre-requisite and I'm concerned if this is your narrow definition.

No, actually the definition of the act of rape includes a penis!

Fraggling · 27/08/2019 17:18

More funding and support for male victims of sexual violence would be great. As we know, men are over whelming the perpetrators. The needs of male victims can be quite different.

Rape is not wholly a women's issue, although it does affect us disproportionately. I mean thinking of victims, for perpetrators it is a male issue. However society seems to see it as a women's issue, and therefore not very high priority, which is why we had to set up all the rape centres in the first place.

Now there is growing awareness of male victims, it would be good if the services that would suit them could be invested in.

Fraggling · 27/08/2019 17:23

I mean, men should call for rape services for men, volunteer at them etc.

Extending the services that are already in crisis, that women worked so hard to set up, to men, will simply push women away.

I would see people who I'd as women who are not of female sex as being most suitably served as a subset of these services.

Men commit rape and men commit sexual assaults. We are now discussing asub set of men who have very distinct needs. Let men sort it out for once.

Why do women as an oppressed group who are impacted most by things like finding cuts, need to look out for everyone? Why don't men take any responsibilty?

KickOffTheSundayShoes · 27/08/2019 17:24

Yes, the definition of rape is with a penis. Surprisingly a lot of people don't know this.

It is not bloody transphobic to say that I, as a woman, want safe, female only spaces for women who have been raped. I don't give two hoots if you self identify as a woman- that does not trump the rights of ACTUAL women.

I honestly do not understand women who do not understand and support this. You can't have a penis and be a woman. There, I've said it. Shoot me.

Fraggling · 27/08/2019 17:24

A lot of the comments on here seem to say if the service is there why shouldn't anyone use it.

Well fine if it's set up properly, if you just chuck everyone in, the group who started all this will increasingly be excluded.

PinkyU · 27/08/2019 17:40

We are discussing a charity who wish to employ volunteers to support victims/survivors of sexual assault/rape. People, who are seeking support after being attacked and stripped of their autonomy, at no cost to other service users.

It’s pretty sobering viewing to be honest just how far removed some peoples sense of empathy and humanity have become toward people who have been assaulted.

“Oi TW/FIW don’t access immediate support from an established and experienced charity who are seeking to further enhance their support for you, instead go spend years establishing your own charity for your own kind, fuck your mental health and trauma during that process as long as you stay away from us normal people”, that sound about right?

Enhancing the support for TW/FIW doesn’t take away the support or women’s only space that this charity offer. They are trying to offer support to all at a cost to none, why on earth would anyone have a problem with that?!

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 27/08/2019 17:42

Ah well, women having another man forcing themselves on them. Nothing changes.

FFSFFSFFS · 27/08/2019 17:49

PinkyU - how on earth can you not understand how this is a problem for women who have been abused?

How on earth can you not have empathy for women?

How can you be so outraged that women's needs are being put first?

(and by women I mean, well, women)

Wurzelsnewhead · 27/08/2019 18:00

Don’t know what you’re trying to discuss Pinky but this thread is about an invitation to men identifying as women being recruited as women in a rape crisis centre. In this context, their identity is irrelevant and their biological sex is a threat to traumatised women (unless the centre specifies they will only be supporting other trans people )
This has nothing to do with trans assault or male rape. This is about safety and peace of mind for women.
Tell you what Pinky, have a good old search around and see if you can find a shred of empathy and humanity for women. I won’t hold my breath.

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