Cambridge rape centre response help needed

[Newwayofthinking]

My post was lost on the other thread and I would like some help to draft a response back to them please....

I have had a response:

This was my email - As a rape survivor, the very last person I would want to speak to after being violated by a man. Is a man who identifies as a woman

Response

We write to respond to your email from 9th July.

Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre (CRCC) is an Equal Opportunities service in terms of both service provision and recruitment, and our services are run by women for women. CRCC’s phone and email support services are open to all who self-define as women, including (if they wish) those with complex gender identities which include ‘woman’, and those who experience oppression as women. CRCC affirms that self-definition is at the sole discretion of the individual in question. We also seek a diversity of volunteers who reflect the variety of women that we support, and this includes trans women.

Trans women are subject to the gender inequalities that all women experience on a daily basis, and are subjected to disproportionately high levels of sexual violence*. Trans survivors experience significant barriers when trying to seek support for the rape, sexual assault and/or sexual abuse they have been subjected to.

At Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre the safety of women and girls who use our services is paramount. We have many years of experience in safe and robust volunteer recruitment practices for all women who express interest in providing helpline and email support, and we deliver extensive training to all suitable applicants.

Kind regards,

The CRCC Team

*The Trans Sexual Violence Project in Wisconsin (USA), 2004, found that 45% of participants were survivors of sexual violence.

@CharlieParley

P.S. I don't want to upset you any more than you already are, but please be prepared to be met with indifference to any concerns you raise.

I am part of a group of survivors who are or were self-excluding from Rape Crisis Services who met with management to share our concerns and suggest solutions in service delivery that would meet the needs of both female survivors and male survivors who identify as trans. They couldn't have cared less if they tried. One of the most upsetting meetings of my life. The aftermath was bad enough, but what hurt even more was that they are continuing to claim on social media and in the press that there are no issues whatsoever with including males who identify as trans in their service. As if our meeting had never happened.

We found out later btw that we weren't even the first survivors to raise the issue with them.

They are more interested in endorsing and promoting transgender ideology and legislation than meeting the needs of female survivors. In my experience, any service that sends out emails like the one you received is firmly on that path, the consequences to female survivors be damned.

Oh Charlie. I'm so incredibly, incredibly sorry.

You aren't the first survivor on just this story in the past 24 hours to talk about how hellish men trying to make women talk to them about male sexual violence is, for women. It's appalling and wrong on every possible level, and anyone unable to see that is a disgusting human being.

The fact those disgusting human beings work for Rape Crisis makes it all the worse. So much solidarity and love for you, and the other brave women who tried to make the absolutely bloody obvious known to people drawing a salary by pretending to care about women.

We need a list of the remaining truly single sex providers. So we know who to donate to, support... and trust.

@CharlieParley

Thank you thank you thank you

Email sent x

I shall update if any response.

@CharlieParley

Wow. I'm crying just typing that and I fucking hate crying.

[Flowers] bastards all of them

Why are the putting the wants of a trans woman who wants to work for the charity over a woman who needs the services of the charity? Won’t they allow a trans man to work for them?

Any ideas you want to share, Michelleoftheresistance or anyone else, please feel free to send me a PM.

I have an action plan (of sorts) but I rather feel like an ant battling an elephant.

If the TRA lobby demand is that females must get over their trauma and distress and fear and embarrassment to accept services/getting undressed next to/going into a refuge with someone they perceive as male and respect their identity...

then the male can equally get over their emotions and needs and accept that some females need same sex provision and identify as sex being a thing. With identities obviously being respected.

Unequal standards and treatment like this are flat out discriminatory. And as they always privilege and benefit males and disadvantage females, it is flat out discrimination based on sex.

They were quick to reply with their first mumbled response

Not so quick to answer the second email...nothing back yet.

Oh dear op - but maybe it's not enough time if they are going to answer your questions properly.

Charlieparly your posts are always excellent. Even after everything I've learnt over the last couple of years I'm amazed (in a bad way) to hear your experience of trying to raise this w a service.

It wouldn't be very nice but it sounds like the way to challenge this is in court.

"those with complex gender identities which include ‘woman’" is so far removed from the rationale for allowing sex specific occupations & services in the sex discrimination act & them EA. There can't be any law behind it.

Some potential service users will be being indirectly discriminated against because they can't access the service.

Your story & findings should be in the papers. Someone needs to do some investigation.

Also - I'm not sure I will find it - but someone has done a blog post where they went through lots of policies for refuges & other similar services, finding which were about 'self identifying women' & which seemed to offer separate female only services.

www.varsity.co.uk/news/19648

This could be why I haven't had a reply, because women don't matter

I've read the original "article". It's just pure propaganda. I've put in a screen shot of the first part of it to show how it's reported. It doesn't deserve clicks.

OP, when did you send the email? Is it time to send a follow up email?

Email sent 15 July

Time for a follow up

New email

I don't seem to have had a response to the below email. Would you be so kind as to answer the questions below?

I would really like to understand why you feel it is appropriate for men or trans women with penises, to answer the phones at a female rape centre.

Keep going with it OP.

When you get a reply send to The Baroness.

What is that publication? Viz?

@OhHolyJesus will do

charley I'm so sorry. I was reading your post with profound respect for your articulation, but when you said it left you in tears, and why, my respect was instantly replaced with horror and fury on your behalf.

It's a terrible characteristic of this issue that one thinks one has seen and heard everything and can no longer be shocked, but then, as sure as day follows night, the ante increases and another thunderbolt descends.

The inhumane, loathsome, gleeful misogyny takes your breath away.

Newwayofthinking

Bloody well done for refusing to let this go. It must be soul destroying, but, please know that you have thousands of women supporting you.

The awful thing is, this is so avoidable. You can, of course, offer services to men, however they identify, without impacting services to women. Transwomen could be spoken to by other transwomen, without women ever coming across it.

The obvious, blatant, in your face prioritisation of validating men, using women as service humans, by actually leveraging their trauma, is just disgusting.

I genuinely believe this is temporary. Very few people would not be outraged at the ideological capture of rape services.

Any update on this?

That 2004 study gets a lot of mileage.

Fair reply. Thank you for sharing 😊