Hospital told police patient not raped because attacker transgender

[Snoodsy]

A hospital told the police that a patient could not have been raped because her alleged attacker was trans, the House of Lords has heard.

The attack took place a year ago and the woman reported it but when officers contacted the hospital, which has not been named, they were told “that there was no male in the hospital, therefore the rape could not have happened”.

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, who raised the issue during a debate on single-sex wards, continued: “They forgot that there was CCTV, nurses and observers.

“None the less, it has taken nearly a year for the hospital to agree that there was a male on the ward and, yes, this rape happened.

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220317203204/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/03/17/hospital-told-police-patient-not-raped-alleged-attacker-transgender/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20220317203204/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/03/17/hospital-told-police-patient-not-raped-alleged-attacker-transgender/

@Oblomov22

The policy is being reviewed by the NHS but as this newspaper revealed, one of those carrying out that review is a “trans advocate”.

A trans advocate who said that his intention was to strengthen the access for trans ppl.

Raped, then gaslit and just plain lied to by the very institution that should be caring for you. This is so inhumane it is stomach churning. That poor poor woman.

This is why Stonewall has no place in the NHS, this can and i very much hope will be traced back to their pernicious influence.

Heads better fucking roll for this.

This is so worrying. Why are public bodies so ready to uphold the rights of men over women when it took women so long to get any kind of equality.

I am struggling to put my horror and disbelief into words. Orwell would be turning in his grave.

The language is very much 'the hospital did ..' but it was actual individuals who did this, if I were the victim I'd sue every single member of staff involved. Probably would get nowhere in today's climate but holding individuals to account for their own actions rather than hiding behind an institution is the only way to make people really think about what they're doing when they're given these instructions. The old 'I was only doing what I was told' shouldn't be an accepted.

Lady Nicholson’s proposals were opposed by Lord Etherton QC, who argued that the current policy was “entirely appropriate and consistent with the anti-discrimination law in the Equality Act”.

Why is it being opposed by Lord Etherton QC? Who is no longer the Rolls. Having retired, ill with a genetic blood disorder. Opposed on what stance? The current policy is appropriate? No. It's not.

@5zeds

If women can have a penis then women can rape, there is no need in that ridiculous language soup to claim that a rape couldn’t have occurred.

I think they have failed totally to keep this woman safe and should be treated as such.

Yes except a woman can't have a penis. End of.

As if a rape trial isn't enough! That hospital is a complete disgrace. The people who said those things should be named and shamed and fired.

I despair

Imagine hating women so much that you're willing to lie to police and retraumatise a rape victim whilst trying to prevent her seeking justice.

@NutellaEllaElla

I am struggling to put my horror and disbelief into words. Orwell would be turning in his grave.

Agreed. My brain just can't quite comprehend it because it's just so outrageous.

If anyone sets up a just giving appeal for this WOMAN to sue the NHS then I will give gladly. I don't normally like to see people suing but on this occasion I think it's necessary to bring this whole sorry mess well into the public domain.
BTW if the NHS can come out with 'chest feeders' which is biologically wrong then they can also talk about a 'woman with a penis' which is also wrong. They seem to have abandoned biology when it suits them.

I also would support the hospital being sued - ideally on behalf of the victim with her receiving the sum awarded.

The medical staff involved who hampered the police need to all be charged with obstructing justice (or whatever it's called) too. They also need to face disciplinary action for not following "do no harm" while she was in their care.

I get that they may have been "following orders", but if that's not a defence in war, then I don't see how it can be a defence in peace, while actively caring - "caring" - for someone in hospital!

to the victim if she ever comes across this thread. She's been living an utter dystopian nightmare.

Whistle blowers have come forward sadly, and confirmed that staff have been ordered to deny that a male is on a female ward , if a complaint is made

This a just yet another example of why men should never be allowed in womens safe spaces. Biological men or trans women. This kind of thing should never happen, even once is too much. I hope the victim sues the NHS. And I hope the hospital is named.

Hopefully what will come out of this is a change to the ridiculous law which says only males can commit rape. Anyone with a penis can rape.

I say 'or' , however obviously trans women are men.

@loislovesstewie

If anyone sets up a just giving appeal for this WOMAN to sue the NHS then I will give gladly. I don't normally like to see people suing but on this occasion I think it's necessary to bring this whole sorry mess well into the public domain. BTW if the NHS can come out with 'chest feeders' which is biologically wrong then they can also talk about a 'woman with a penis' which is also wrong. They seem to have abandoned biology when it suits them.

As a breastfeeding peer supporter, you'll never get me saying chestfeeding to any of my mums.

I simply won't deny biology.

What this trust have done is absolutely abysmal and I hope this lady finds the retribution she deserves after being lied to.

I've worked with rape victims and the actual worse thing that can happen to them, the absolute worst, is to not be believed and to have what has happened to them be dismissed or minimised.

I can actually see there is a need for compassion for people with gender dysphoria. However, this is a ridiculous over-correction, where victims of a crime are ignored because it would be counter to an ideology that all trans people are saintly victims. I don't understand why this is happening because I don't remember it happening when we started challenging racism or homophobia. We can be kind without being metaphorically blind and deaf.

Why isn’t the hospital or NHS trust being named? We need more light being thrown on this shocking behaviour. What else do they have to hide?

@Palavah

It's not necessary to believe there was a male present, that's irrelevant to the law. For it to be rape there only needs to be a penis. B

What are you on about? Women don't have penises. A male man was present

@BenCooperisaGod

Raped, then gaslit and just plain lied to by the very institution that should be caring for you. This is so inhumane it is stomach churning. That poor poor woman.

This is why Stonewall has no place in the NHS, this can and i very much hope will be traced back to their pernicious influence.

Heads better fucking roll for this.

I read the article this morning and have no words. BenCooperisaGod put it beautifully.

And this is why trans people need to wake up and see the danger in how Stonewall have campaigned for their rights. Because of mantras like TWAW, the very obvious safeguarding issues have been ignored, and women are being harmed as a result.

This will not end well for transwomen, the vast majority of whom just want to live their life in peace. It is time to start campaigning for third spaces.

Utterly horrifying.

Raped then gaslit because we have somehow ok’d denying biology.

Which hospital is this? Should be named and shamed.