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Feminism: chat

Dr Jessica Taylor using people's data without permission?

32 replies

bananatwain · 15/04/2022 18:46

Dr JT is being criticised on twitter for having used people's stories in her new book, one spanning 4 pages, without their consent or knowledge. People have read the book and recognised themselves in it. One had had friends recognise her story. 3 people or more have come forward. Bloody shocking if it is true considering she's supposed to be trauma informed!

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BlubFestival · 15/04/2022 22:16

From what I saw (on Twitter) she esponded to the claims stating unequivocally that she had full permissions from everyone involved. She (or perhaps a supporter?) suggested that people recognise a story because their experience is more common that we like to imagine.

I tend to believe her. She may have some controversial views but I don't believe she's unethical. Particularly not with women's stories.

This was a few weeks ago I read stuff though. Unless there has been more come out since?

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Every5hoursUSblackfemicide · 15/04/2022 23:27

So true, BlubFestival. When I'm reading women's abuse stories I can often predict many things that will happen.

My sister and I both married abusive men and got away from them around the same time. My ex-husband was charismatic and friendly, the opposite personality of her shy introverted husband, and they came from totally different backgrounds and cultures.

But talking with her about what we'd both been enduring, I remember telling her I felt like I was talking to a mirror. So many of their behaviors were the same.

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greyinganddecaying · 15/04/2022 23:46

There's a thread about this on the other feminism board. One woman has tweeted that she wasn't interviewed for the book, that her story was used after a general chat with JT.

I've also seen several others who are very distressed about their stories being used, apparently without their clear permission.

It's not looking great tbh, which is a shame as JT does some good work (even if I disagree with her on other issues).

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bananatwain · 16/04/2022 00:17

@greyinganddecaying

There's a thread about this on the other feminism board. One woman has tweeted that she wasn't interviewed for the book, that her story was used after a general chat with JT.

I've also seen several others who are very distressed about their stories being used, apparently without their clear permission.

It's not looking great tbh, which is a shame as JT does some good work (even if I disagree with her on other issues).

Didn't see the other thread. It's not looking good at all. I used to really rate her. Now I just think some of her ideas are really dangerous. Not a fan.
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bananatwain · 16/04/2022 09:52

There are quite a few women coming forward now. What a shame. I'm going to return my audible book as feels wrong to listen now.

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GenderNo · 18/04/2022 15:46

Didn't JT invite people to share their experiences via an online survey or something prior to her writing the book? I seem to remember filling that out. Is that what she has included in the book, or is this something else?

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greyinganddecaying · 18/04/2022 15:53

@GenderNo

Didn't JT invite people to share their experiences via an online survey or something prior to her writing the book? I seem to remember filling that out. Is that what she has included in the book, or is this something else?


I'm not sure, but one of the women said that where she'd previously been quoted for a book she'd been kept in the loop & her permission (& details of the quotes) had been checked several times. Apparently not this time.

Another woman says that her information was gathered from an informal chat, no consent/permission sought.

As well as all this, Jean Hatchet warned people to only give information they felt safe/comfortable in giving to a survey JT was running back in 2019, as the small print said that some information could be used in books in the future. JT & JS were really quite abusive back to her.

I keep hoping there's a reasonable explanation for all this, or that there's been a miscommunication somewhere, but it gets worse each time I look.
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PegasusReturns · 18/04/2022 16:22

Please don’t malign and gaslight women who have recognised their own stories.

The women whose stories have been reproduced without consent are capable of recognising this fact. JT has behaved abysmally. She deserves to be called out and held to account for an appalling breach of trust.

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bananatwain · 18/04/2022 17:25

@PegasusReturns

Please don’t malign and gaslight women who have recognised their own stories.

The women whose stories have been reproduced without consent are capable of recognising this fact. JT has behaved abysmally. She deserves to be called out and held to account for an appalling breach of trust.

The more I read about it the more I realise that JT has abused these women and used their stories for her own personal gain. It's very clear by some of the tweets that this is has genuinely happened and women have been harmed in the process. Awful. Expected better from someone who has spoken so vocally about consent.
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fearisthemindkiller · 19/04/2022 14:10

If this is true it's massively disappointing and awful for the people involved. I don't think this is going to go away, so I hope the truth comes to light. Noticed she's been a lot quieter on twitter.

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bananatwain · 19/04/2022 15:56

@fearisthemindkiller

If this is true it's massively disappointing and awful for the people involved. I don't think this is going to go away, so I hope the truth comes to light. Noticed she's been a lot quieter on twitter.

I've noticed how quiet she's been too. Surprisingly few people commenting on her posts about it. I hope it doesn't go away. I'm surprised she hasn't put out a statement yet. Kinda insinuates that it's a true.
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PandemelonFelon · 28/04/2022 11:21

JT claimed that she was taking legal advice against people who were raising things against her - that's probably why people have been very quiet about it.

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thecoffeewasthething · 28/04/2022 14:34

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GenderNo · 28/04/2022 14:53

Has Jess released a statement yet?

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greyinganddecaying · 28/04/2022 15:06

That is pretty bad.

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PandemelonFelon · 28/04/2022 15:12

It's absolutely fucking appalling.


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taketotheskye · 29/04/2022 12:03

She says she hasn't. She says she can evidence this.

We'll never know, unless someone takes it to court, I guess.

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ExistentialApathy · 29/04/2022 14:05

I'm not convinced that Twitter thread proves anything in relation to JTs behaviour. It reads like someone else shit stirring with a very vulnerable woman. Which is appalling if true.

But as someone else has now said - we can't know from here.

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SpinningTooFastIWantToGetOff · 30/04/2022 07:38

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Teddah · 30/04/2022 10:37

ExistentialApathy · 29/04/2022 14:05

I'm not convinced that Twitter thread proves anything in relation to JTs behaviour. It reads like someone else shit stirring with a very vulnerable woman. Which is appalling if true.

But as someone else has now said - we can't know from here.

JT named the organisation that supports a person who is clearly vulnerable. Even if she did nothing else, that is appalling.

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PandemelonFelon · 30/04/2022 19:46

The full unredacted message is now on twitter, as well as a more comprehensive tweet from the person involved.

In many ways I hope they both have support around them right now.

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thecoffeewasthething · 01/05/2022 13:06

Julie Bindel has weighed in. JT is not covering herself in glory.

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GenderNo · 02/05/2022 12:25

Why would JT do this though? It's not like there's a shortage of stories of VAWG?

Plus, as someone with a PhD, I imagine she has had the training to avoid doing stuff like this?

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Lockheart · 02/05/2022 18:11

I'm not sure what's going on but I've followed JT for some time and I thought her recent book was good. But it's looking like she might be on dodgy ground with this. If so, it's very disappointing.

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charlotterousse · 03/05/2022 22:25

GenderNo · 02/05/2022 12:25

Why would JT do this though? It's not like there's a shortage of stories of VAWG?

Plus, as someone with a PhD, I imagine she has had the training to avoid doing stuff like this?

I'm an academic myself. There is no shortage of malpractice in research, sadly. Just because someone has a doctorate doesn't mean their work will be free of it. From what I can see, JT is not formally affiliated with any university or NHS Trust (not even as an honorary fellow), which means that her research proposals will not be reviewed by an ethics committee before she conducts a study. When I was between academic posts I asked a university that previously employed me if I could affiliate with them as an honorary fellow precisely so I could still have oversight from the ethics committee. It concerns me that she didn't appear to think this was necessary for her. My own sense is that she may have got a bit carried away with the force of her own 'brand' and didn't even register that these women might be anything less than pleased and flattered to feature in her books.

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