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

It's at least heartening to hear that the unpleasant and deeply unprofessional intrusion by RMW onto this support thread has resulted in a surge in gardening.

We're all behind you Sarah and deeply grateful to you for what you are doing.

Holy fatballs Robin, did you really come onto a thread to make it clear you are monitoring the claimant on this case?

If this was an episode of Suits, you'd be off the case by now.

How utterly inappropriate and yet, completely expected.

Sarah that’s fantastic news you now have two fantastic women by your side, plus all the women on here who care about your rights & women’s right to compassion, safety, privacy & dignity. More power to you 💐💐💐

If RMW is so keen to fix errors that might be professionally damaging they should be hurriedly working on a revised edition of their pisspoor book. www.legalfeminist.org.uk/2021/09/02/a-practical-guide/

Well, RMW's unwelcome, inappropriate and highly unprofessional intrusion (which frankly looks stalkerish) has encouraged me to go and garden.

Yep off to the allotment. Thanks for the reminder Robin.

You lot are really making me smile. I wish I could thank you IRL.

What a great outcome

No timeframe yet for the court case btw but if there are any updates I will share them on here and Twitter.

Anyone know who the barristers regulator is so that we can complain about this, as I'd go so far to say the RMW is engaging in witness intimidation at this point

It may reflect a combination of the size of different demographics within the trans and non-binary community of Brighton and the rate at which those demographics experience sexual violence.

Bar Standards Board.

www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/

Solicitor here and I am really astounded at RMW's behaviour.

I'm an attorney (not in the UK) and am similarly astounded by the unethical and unprofessional behaviour that was displayed here.

I wish you all the best Sarah! I've increased my donation as well.

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

Which is weird (I know) because transwomen (ie biologically male) are generally raped & assaulted for different reasons than women. Transwomen are more likely to be assaulted & raped because they are biological males ie a homophobic reaction to them by other men, when the "woman" they thought they were with turns out to be biologically male.

That's a good argument for a separate trans survivors' group - transwomen have different experiences of assault than women.

Women are raped & assaulted because they are women.

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.

Cue Alannis Morissette: isn't it ironic?

Inspired to garden today for some reason....x

Ooh, Karon Monaghan QC. I had the good fortune to attend the same event as her a little while ago. We had a chat. She was great, a real professional and very lovely too. I would be delighted to help fund her expertise in this case. I'll fetch my spade...

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

Which is weird

Im not sure I do find it weird - there is a cohort of people born male who identify as female and who, whatever their experience, would still use that as a way of gaining access to women-only spaces, whether for the validation, the power or whatever. It would be patently obvious that their experience of rape is going to be very different to that of a biologically female person, so what other reason can there be for them to be in a women-only group, especially when there is also a trans-specific service available?

Can anyone give me directions to the allotment please? I have some hard won seeds I would really like to see bear fruit. Pm me if need be. I've planted there before but can't remember the way.

If you Google 'I am Sarah Crowd Justice', it should show you the way

Ditto - can't think why...!

I've just been for a quick look on the fundraiser.

Oh Robin what have you done!!!!

Idiot!😁

Sorry that's as clear as mud. All the comments stating they are donating purely off the back of Robin pissing them off. I'm sure the other side must be so proud of his fund raising efforts for the person they are fighting against.

Sorry misgendered there apologies . I mean her fund raising efforts obvs.

Thanks. ☺️

I began to read the report you posted Sarah and what struck me was the efforts to once again force team intersex people into SN’s study.
So nice to see that an unexpected torrent of unwelcome rain has nonetheless helped the flowers bloom on your plot 🌷

To me they seemed really pissed off they couldn't even snare one actual genuine intersex person for their cause!!

The whole thing is painful reading though. And not just because of the incredibly unreadable quality due to the mangling of the English language.

The inability to see further than their own navel gazing is astounding.