Big update on Rape Crisis legal challenge

[IamSarah]

I know many of you have been waiting for an update so first of all thank you for your patience and the many messages of support.

I am suing Survivors Network, the Sussex Rape Crisis service, as it refused to offer a single sex women’s group in addition to the mixed sex women’s groups. By mixed sex I mean inclusive of any males who identify as women.

I’ve been granted anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the case and it was submitted to Brighton County Court today.

I am being represented by law firm Didlaw and my Barrister is Naomi Cunningham (Chair of Sex Matters). So far they have acted pro bono which I am incredibly grateful for as it has taken a lot of time. The team are confident I have a good case but this is unchartered territory for women’s rights.

Many of you have very kindly offered to be involved and help with gardening. I don’t think I’m allowed to share details on here so please go to my Twitter page http://twitter.com/SarahSurviving/ which has all the info in a pinned post.

Of you’re not on Twitter feel free to send me a DM for more information on how you can help the case. Any publicity you can give the crowd funder would really help.

Thank you everyone.

Sarah x

I will be donating Sarah and wish you luck with the case. We will all be following it on here. Keep coming back whenever you need more help.

I'm really sorry that you've been put in this awful position.

I have added your garden to the Ovarit Activism circle - which people can read and follow links even if they are not members of Ovarit.

Good luck!

Wow, huge respect for you to put yourself through this. You will be in v safe hands with Naomi.

I shall dig, and dig again for this one.

You have been brutalised enough, and no other woman should have to fight this fight.

Very best wishes, Sarah. Have contributed a little - total is ticking up well.

Absolutely brilliant! Thank you and good luck

Already only a couple of hundred quid off the initial target.

Brilliant news. And yet we are constantly told that the whole gender issue doesn't matter to most people and it isn't an issue. Thank goodness for women like Sarah who are prepared to make a public stand.

Initial target met, stretch target now visible for future gardeners

Great comments, including by some frankly horrified men, who are as outraged by this as women, as was my experience with DH.

Decent men understand women need separate spaces to heal after being brutalized by other, much less decent, men

Great day to plant a few flowers. Which I've done.

You are all amazing. I think between us we've sown the seeds for a big shift in women's rights.

Thank you gardeners and sharers for your generosity, i couldn't have done this without you.

Extraordinary courage.

Tulips always make me smile, so I planted a few for you.

I have planted something for you. I cannot imagine the staff of the Survivors Network being able to look a woman in the eyes whilst defending their policies, it's just beyond me.

Followed you. Much luck to you. Thank you for doing this

I've done some gardening, and I'll plant some more bulbs once it's payday.

😍

🌼planted

Done a bit of gardening and shared. I actually saw the Crowdfunder on Twitter, being shared by quite a few people, before I saw this thread so word is getting out.

You are an amazing woman. Planted a few small fuchsia bushes.

Thank you so much for making a stand.

Bumping for the weekend gardeners

Sarah you are a warrior. Thank you for standing up for women and girls despite your trauma. Our daughters, nieces, and granddaughters will thank you in the future. Lovely day for flowers 💐

I can't access Ovarit (using Chrome) it states it is not a secure connection. Anyone on Ovarit to pass this on to the technical people?

What a lovely day for some gardening.

I'm slightly worried about this one. The law as I read it (IIANAL) ALLOWS providers to make services single sex, it doesn't make them provide single sex services.

Might this have the opposite effect than intended if it loses, which I'm sorry to say I think there's a good chance it will?

Can anyone give any extra info?

Very much keeping my fingers crossed that it is successful.