A trans-Identified BDSM fan/gun nut is now a senior leader at Girlguiding

[Scraggythang]

Via Glinner’s sub stack. Sorry if this has already been posted!

grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/wtf-are-girlguiding-thinking

Regarding employment checks. I agree with TheBeardedVulture, under safer recruitment guidelines there is no requirement to check SM.

From memory, safer recruitment guidelines became more stringent after the terrible Soham murders and SM was in its infacy.

I would say that interviewing is also part of the safer recruitment questions and interviews should ask specific interview questions regarding safeguarding.

I am not commenting on this case but broadly speaking that is why it is so important for organisations to have a safeguarding culture where individuals can express safeguarding concerns following an interview, during probation etc.

Also does that person look like the sort of person you would have no concerns about if you volunteered alongside them? I don't believe that no-one knew about these photos. I think everyone did know they couldn't say/think anything about that person because 'transphobia'.

Amazing for safeguarding

I find it absolutely mind boggling that an organisation which has a Code of Conduct that explicitly states that volunteers' social media shouldn't bring GG into disrepute doesn't do a cursory check of volunteers' social media.

thecritic.co.uk/jeepers-creepers/

There were pictures on the sun article so it was probably obvious. However I just think the reporting was disingenuous. Essentially the story wasnt "transwoman guide leader posts inappropriate content on social media". It was "woman guide leader posts inappropriate content on social media". I think its misleading in the same way that not recording sex properly on surveys etc risk ending up with very misleading data such as it suddenly looking like more women are committing violent offences. It was highly relevant to this article that the person involved was a trans woman so why didn't they feel they could say so.

I suspect there are guidelines somewhere that tells them they can't.

@EndoplasmicReticulum

I suspect there are guidelines somewhere that tells them they can't.

Yep. www.ipso.co.uk/member-publishers/guidance-for-journalists-and-editors/transgender-guidance/

Words matter: The press must stop misreporting a person’s sex
fairplayforwomen.com/stop-misreporting-sex/

Taking stock of complaints to IPSO about inaccurate reporting of sex
Comms between FPFW and IPSO
fairplayforwomen.com/ipso_complaints/

Inaccurate reporting of sex and gender identity by the press: IPSO must improve its transgender guidance
fairplayforwomen.com/ipso/

submission: Editors code consultation
UK Equality law prohibits unfair discrimination on the grounds of both sex and selfdeclared gender identity. However, sometimes these two rights conflict so the law sets out circumstances where a person's sex is considered uniquely relevant and important. It is reasonable to expect IPSO to apply the same principles when making judgements about the accuracy of press reporting regarding sex or self-declared gender identity.
(See 8.0 Appendix 1 for a summary of UK Equality law).
fairplayforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Fair-Play-For-Women-Submission-to-Editors-Code-Consultation-270320.pdf

Holding a gun in guiding uniform

The 160 odd page DFE document 'keeping children safe in education' does not contain a requirement to do SM checks during a recruitment process under its safer recruitment section.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2

Neither does the charity commission, which girl guides are governed by.

www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-duties-for-charity-trustees

NSPCC also used to have guidance on their website and it ha s either disappeared or I can't find it. They do have safer recruitment online learning and I would hazard an educated guess that it doesn't include doing SM searches during a recruitment process.

I am not saying that this is right or wrong, I am just saying that it is the guidance that organisations such as GGs follow.

The argument that those arguing against usungvSM checks as part of safer recruitment, is that the lack of boundaries should have been picked up in interview. We will never know how the interview was conducted because it is internal.

I keep my own SM fairly locked down, but I think checking SM could become a really tricky part of the formal safer recruitment process with grey areas, I.e what is hateful and what isn't?

Clearly a person holding a gun in a girl guides uniform is not a grey area.

@FindTheTruth Much as I don't like what this represents, that particular photo doesn't show a guide uniform.
Monica is a bus driver- that looks more like a work uniform if you zoom in on the logo.

yes you're right @averylongtimeago

I stand corrected too as not a GG uniform.

If we take the sex/gender discussion out. I just think this is an interesting to consider whether safer recruitment frameworks are sufficient for today's world. Probably for another thread.

Putting aside all the matters this relates to for a second, posting a photo of yourself in a messy house with a gun in the UK, show a lack of awareness at best

What is such a shame is there used to be a really effective way of significantly reducing harm in girl guiding that didn't involve needing to check up on peoples social media. Boy scouts of America have just reached a settlement re abuse and the only thing that comes up when googling girl scouts abuse was a case of a girl scout allegedly being abused by a woman leaders husband. There is a common denominator here and it isn't natal women. Of course I'm not saying that all trans women are potential abusers just like all men aren't either. I'm just saying that where there are men involved you have raised the safeguarding risk. I dont know why girl guiding would want to increase the risk. Who is it benefitting?

Whether they should have checked Monica's social media or not, Monica has clearly breached their Code of Conduct (my bold):

As a Girlguiding volunteer you must always:
Be a good role model with behaviour and an attitude that are in line with our values and the Promisee*.
Comply with all applicable UK laws and guidance. If your unit is based outside the UK or you are part of an activity outside the UK, you must also abide by the law of that country.
Make sure you follow Girlguiding policies and procedures and re-read them regularly so you are informed of updates. If you have gaps in your understanding, talk to your local commissioner or adviser.
Deliver the Girlguiding programme to young members if you are a unit volunteer. When volunteering with adults in guiding, support them to meet the Girlguiding programme requirements, to play your part in giving a consistently great Girlguiding experience.
Be responsible and accountable in the way you perform your role.
Be fair and treat everyone with respect and dignity in accordance with our Equality and Diversity policy.
Respect privacy in line with our policies and guidance.
Communicate in an open and respectful way, whether in person, by phone, writing or digital media.
Work together with Girlguiding members, their parents or carers and members of the public to promote Girlguiding's mission and values.
As a Girlguiding volunteer you must not act fraudulently or dishonestly. Or do anything which brings, or is likely to bring, Girlguiding into disrepute or have a negative impact on Girlguiding or its reputation.

https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/making-guiding-happen/policies/code-of-conduct/

I agree. But I feel the Girl Guide movement has been destroyed and would want my daughter to have no part in it until this has been sorted out. Why is this not in the press? I have also heard of guide leaders - including those identifying as female being able to provide girls with barrier contraception at camps. Absolutely sickening why in an all female environment require this???

This is what one man managed to do on school residential trips:
www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jun/14/how-did-one-of-most-prolific-paedophiles-in-history-get-away-with-crimes

@SomepeopleareTERFSgetoverit

This photo in the Mail taken with a selfie stick beside a flimsy curtain - anyone else think it looks like a changing room? Looks like tags on the jacket and hangars behind.

The kind of behaviour that Never Happens…..

Pretty sure it’s her bedroom. There’s other photos there.

@Whatwouldscullydo

The thing I dont understand is the dbs checks. I mean untrained busy people found all this stuff in seconds. So either the dbs/ screening checks aren't fit for purpose in which case which of those are universal checks everyone has to perform in settings with children etc? If they are the sake standard then no where is safe surely? We need more enhanced screening.

Or GG is lying and they don't check. In which case how may others working for them are currently unchecked and is that even lawful?

Girlguiding don’t always do a disclosure/ DBS check. They have policies saying that volunteers working regularly with girls need one, but it’s left up to volunteers to sort this, and it doesn’t always happen.

We recently had an email saying that all volunteers need a disclosure and certain level of safeguarding training - but it was “unsustainable” for volunteers to check up on this, and the implication was essentially please can people take responsibility for them self in that regard?!

@Chloemol

Unbelievable

How good would it be if everyone refused to send their child to guides now

Agree.

@Eggybrains
That is terrifying.
I ran Beavers starting in the early 90’s for 10 years or so. All volunteers/ leaders had to be dbs (or whatever it was called back then) checked. I was, at the time, a registered Nurse, working as a school Nurse, had a current dbs, I still had to be checked.
My son aged 21 at the time, had 3 dbs checks, as a scout leader, a football referee and as a climbing instructor.

.

[quote 54bonfield]This is what one man managed to do on school residential trips:
www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jun/14/how-did-one-of-most-prolific-paedophiles-in-history-get-away-with-crimes[/quote]
This was a chilling read, thank you for sharing.

@Eggybrains I think you've misunderstood that email - compliance with DBS checks and safeguarding training is a huge chunk of what counties and regions spend time on. I think that email meant 'don't make us ask you more than once' because its taking time up from what we want to be doing.

[quote CookieMumsters]@Eggybrains I think you've misunderstood that email - compliance with DBS checks and safeguarding training is a huge chunk of what counties and regions spend time on. I think that email meant 'don't make us ask you more than once' because its taking time up from what we want to be doing.[/quote]
@CookieMumsters given I know disclosures aren’t happening for some volunteers, I’m quite right to be concerned.

Did you get the same email? That’s not how I read it.

@CookieMumsters “it is becoming unmanageable and unsustainable for us...”