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

@IamSarah ☕I thought tea would be more appropriate at this time of the morning.

What a shitter about the party.

Whilst its not the same as being able to sit and discuss with your ssupport group I hope you find some comfort in knowing how many other women here have your back.

Virtual hugs from all of us this morning.xx

Very shocked by what I’ve read here this morning. to you, Sarah, in tribute to the many beautiful flowers donated to your garden. May they, and you, blossom x

That must have been a tough disappointment to have to tackle with that support. I am sorry to hear that.

I hope you had some home support at the very least.

Just Googled RMW.

I think it's a bit odd and passive-aggressive that a TW is directly involved in defending a rape crisis organisation's policy of not providing single sex services to female rape survivors.

You'd think they'd sit this one out, wouldn't you?

It doesn't look great.

Oh, Sarah. What a facer about the party. If I saw my rapists (three of them, same incident) even decades after that event I can't imagine how sickened I would feel. Especially as the bastards got away with what they did with total impunity.

I could certainly have used a survivors' network at that time, but as a teenager unaccustomed to dealing with such things I'd never have known where, or how, to seek out support. To have found it and then had it taken away must have felt like a double slap in the face.

Sending you empathy, positivity, and the knowledge that others here understand. And I'm in awe of your courage in taking this particular bull by the horns. Those who are persecuting you are craven cowards who can't even aspire to your personal qualities. What you are doing takes guts.

And applause for the PP who contacted the Bar Standards Board. I'd planned to do this too.

Sarah, I've been utterly gob-smacked by what I've read over the past couple of days (and somehow locked out of being able to come and offer support earlier. ) How that apology for a human being can think that action is in any way appropriate beats me. Keep on keeping on.
I check out this thread and think of you often.

I am very sorry about the party. And about yesterday's craziness!

I did a bit of gardening last night, may all your flowers bloom

The party list is one of those really negative moments, isn’t it, when the perpetrator is part of a social group you valued, but now have limited access to.

And like others, I’m m disgusted by the unprofessional behaviour (though typical, it seems) of one of the barristers involved in your case. I hope the complaint made by a poster upthread is taken seriously. Posting on this thread, as opposed to other threads where the disputed topic has been repeatedly referenced certainly seems like intimidation, particularly in reference to the case you are bringing.

Absolutely. @RobinMoiraWhite there is absolutely no reason why you couldn’t have behaved more appropriately and picked up the issue on a more relevant thread. Always assuming that wading in at this juncture wasn’t wildly unprofessional, of course.

Still, you’ve inspired me to do a bit more gardening for Sarah so well done!

Bloody hell. Disgusted by this intimidating intrusion. Power to Sarah's elbow. More gardening done.

Thank you for all the messages and the big surge of gardening!

Sorry I can't reply to everyone individually but I've read all your messages and they are really helping.

On a separate note I was reading the report from Survivors Network on how best to support trans survivors (not LGBTQ survivors just trans)

survivorsnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/I-am-not-alone-plain-text-version.docx

It's interesting that the specialist trans group that they set up was predominantly attended by people assigned female at birth.

Trans survivors assigned male at birth appear to prefer the women's groups.

If anyone wants to make a complaint to the Bar Standards Board, the link is here: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/online-reporting-form.html

I was at most of Allison Bailey's tribunal and I have no memory at all of RMW 'translating' anything of the bundle for anyone.

Maybe just another RMW fantasy.

I think that means posting updated page numbers where the paper page numbers did not align with the electronic or newer version of the file - I didn't bother to try and keep up with it so might not be totally accurate but that sort of gist. RMW was posting page numbers in the chat at the tribunal.

Anyway, not at all relevant to this thread so perhaps RMW could 'translate' comments to the appropriate one.

If you were watching online then it was possible to view the bundles online.

Unfortunately, due to the Bundleclusterfuck, the page numbers referenced by barristers did not match the page numbers in the bundles.

From time to time RMW would post a “translation” of page references in the Tribunal Chat. Not always timely enough to be of much use. A “translation” reference document was also accessible initially although IIRC this was later withdrawn as it was or became inaccurate.

I hope that explanation prevents RMW from finding another feeble excuse to intrude in this Support Thread for Sarah.

Good to see that there is also no excuse for further intrusions, which may lead to comments being deleted and a pretext for thread deletion, as the Internet Wayback Machine has been busy:

web.archive.org/web/2022*/www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4539958-big-update-on-rape-crisis-legal-challenge*

What the fuck! Did that really just happen?!

QuimReaper Yes indeed it did!

www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/for-the-public/reporting-concerns.html

Thanks @Bosky & @LaughingPriest for the clarification. The paperwork was so enormous in that tribunal I gave up attempting to follow it after a while. I hope this hasn't added to RMW's derail - I will make a donation to Sarah to deflect the wrath of the Godesses.

The wrath of the Goddesses inspired by the appearance of RMW on this thread has raised enough to pay for approximately 4 hours of time from Karon Monaghan QC to oppose RMW.

Amazing work gardeners!

That is a brilliant outcome for such a concerning act!

Thank you for letting us know.

Sarah that is excellent news.

Probably not the effect that RMW was hoping for.

Which makes it even more delicious!

As Boiled said, that is truly delicious!

Wonderful!

Extra gardening here too. Much love to you Sarah 💐