Rape victims will choose gender of their examiner (Scotland)

[stumbledin]

Scotland’s health secretary has said she is confident rape and sexual assault victims will be able to choose the gender of their forensic medical examiner under new legislation.

Jeane Freeman told Holyrood’s health committee people will be able to self-refer and should not have to wait more than three hours for examination.

At a previous evidence session on the proposed Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Bill, Sandy Brindley, Rape Crisis Scotland chief executive, said access to a female doctor “is the most important issue brought up by complainers”.

She added delays in waiting for examinations is also a key issue.

Ms Freeman told the committee she has “confidence” victims will be able to choose to be examined by a man or

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Anyone a Times Subscriber. Really want to know are they talking about choosing a "gender" or do they mean sex.

Amazed to see someone from Rape Crisis Scotland apparently openly talking about why women have suffered male sexual violence would want to be examined by another woman. (I thought both Scotland RCC and WA were very woke and TWAW)

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rape-victims-will-choose-gender-of-their-examiner-cxjtbr5l0

'if you are referring to querying the bizarre idea that it was wrong for men to specify the sex/gender of the examiner the poster who made the comment PaleBlueMoonlight didn't seem to have difficulty in understanding the point.'

The only person in the thread who mentioned it was pale blue moonlight. Everyone else said why shouldn't men be allowed to choose.

Then you said 'I think 'tough' is not the right answer tbh

Nope "eugh a man" in a specialist sex assault unit isn't good enough.'. When I can't see a drive on the thread to say that female medics should be allowed to refuse to examine men who have been sexually attacked just because they are men.

You are arguing points that only paleblue has even hinted at. Then you say they understand what they're saying which is even more confusing.

It's obvious I'm talking about a practitioner refusing to treat a male victim following from the bizarre suggestion by
PaleBlueMoonlight that a female practitioner should be entitled to refuse to treat a male victim if a male victim requested a female.

I didn’t say this.

I didn’t say this

You were questioning over several posts if a man could ask for a female practitioner. Why should a man not do so? What point were you trying to make? If the right to specify the gender/sex is good enough for women it's good enough for a male victim too. What was the point of the rather dogged questioning about whether a man should have the same right?

I see you ignore your own confusion about Freeman said.

You also posted some nonsense about what if the examiner and the victim knew each other as a reason for the examiner refusing. The victim may well be happy to be examined by someone they know. I know 2 nurses who are friends who do each other's smears.

I wanted to know what the legislation said about it, though I realised part way through that it probably wouldn't be dealt with in legislation anyway (if it is dealt with at all) but rather in guidance or professional ethics.

The reason I am interested is that I am exploring the professional circumstances in which it is OK for a woman to say they will not touch a man and those in which it is acceptable for a woman to do so. I agree that a woman working as a medically examiner in these circumstances probably shouldn't be allowed to refuse to examine a male victim (any more than I think a female doctor should be allowed to refuse to examine a male patient) so I am exploring - in my own mind - why I instinctively think that is the right answer when I wouldn't think the same about a border guard. It is probably to do with the extent to which it is the essence of the job, but that is what I am thinking about. There is an inconsistency in what I think, so I am trying to unpick that a little.

@Gingerkittykat

I've noticed the word gender being used more and more when people mean sex, even on Mumsnet there are countless threads about gender reveal or guess the gender from a scan photo when what they mean is sex.

I do think we need to be clearer what we mean when we talk about sex and gender.

Confused by these. How can you have a gender reveal party before a child is born? We all know midwives don’t allocate a gender to a baby until after it is born.

Of course (in general) people should be able to refuse to examine people they know. :/

If you've be attacked and the examiner turns out to be your dad or your brother in law or your best mates husband then of course either medic or person to be examined should be allowed to say no.

My mum was a doc and broke her leg, she was ok with a person she knew giving her suppository for quick pain relief, not everyone would be ok with that!

PaleBlue this comes up with prison officers as well.

I think the circs are different personally but haven't got a quick answer.

It does indees ShinyFootball and other places.

I must confess that I entered this particular thread without giving much thought to who medical examiners actually are, but it should have taken me a nanosecond to realise that they are probably just doctors on call, presumably who signed up to be so (no doubt still displaying my ignorance). I also have no idea whether such medical examiners only deal with sexual assault victims or have a wider role of which examining such victims is only a part.

I don't have that info either, who manages them, who they are hired by etc

It may vary force to force and depending on what specialised services they have etc

For sure the docs, I imagine, would sign up for it in some way, even if not directly employed in that role ft or pt