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

So they've not really been listening have they? It's so frustrating having to bring out a big legal stick just to get people who are (I'm sure, most of them) basically well meaning to take our concerns seriously. But, so it goes.

Wishing you every success Sarah for all our sakes!

I know how many women have cried in their office, how many have carefully explained to the CEO and head of operations how a mixed sex support group is retraumatising.

To reply 'just be nice' and 'trans inclusive feminism is hot' is a massive fuck you to all those survivors.

I guess 'be nice' only works one way,like 'be kind' and the rest of their pandering flimflam.

That presence at trans pride must have been like a kick to you Sarah. But so glad that your case is progressing at least. The fact the SN is doubling down is crazy at this point. How can this make any woman feel safer, x lots of love

It's deliberately provocative. They're no longer even trying to hide it.

Prisons and crisis centres are where women are most vulnerable: no coincidence that these were among the first areas they targeted.

That picture made me feel sick, and my abuse happened a long time ago now. I don't think I've seen anything that's make the red mist swirl as much as this. It's meant to sting.

It's sad that the wheels of justice turn so slowly. I couldn't be rooting harder for you, Sarah.

They don't even hide the fact that they target those types of services. For anyone who hasn't seen it, this is a quote from James Morton of the Scottish Trans Alliance -

‘We strategized – we strategized – that by working intensively with the Scottish Prison Service to support them to include trans women as women on a self-declaration basis within very challenging circumstances, we would be able to ensure that all other public services should be able to do likewise’.

That picture made me feel sick, and my abuse happened a long time ago now. I don't think I've seen anything that's make the red mist swirl as much as this. It's meant to sting.

I felt like that too. I know it isn't personal but it feels personal.

Hi Sarah

Sorry that you are still having to cope with this hostile environment, while waiting on the justice system to actually do something.

And whilst not in any way supporting Survivors Network and their offensive use of traumatised women to enforce their politics, the real issue is that Brighton Council have decided to fund them as the support service for the area. (I suspect they will us this as their legal defence)

As the funders the Council are the real enemy, even the recent review in Scotland of support services recognised the need for there to be some women only (as allowed under the EA) services.

If the Council is not funding such a service, and part of their remit is to ensure adequate services for all members of the community, they are the ones to be held to account.

In the meantime as that photo from the Pride events shows, SN isn't even a professional organisation. Why would you fluant a political message when your primary purpose is to be a support service.

The just expose that they dont have the professional user led ethos that such a service should have.

Shame on them.

Thank you @IwantToRetire

SN is the only rape crisis service in Sussex, surely if they receive funding from the council to help all survivors in Sussex it is their responsibility to provide that support?

I know of another org that is going to bid for funding because even if I win the case I can't see SN running a single sex group.

SN is the only rape crisis service in Sussex, surely if they receive funding from the council to help all survivors in Sussex it is their responsibility to provide that support?

Totally agree with you but ... if in their bid for the money they talked about being trans-inclusive and no one in the Council said to them but you must also provide single sex services, they will just say, but we weren't asked by the people who fund us to do so.

Sorry not trying to be negative, but just thinking how this situation even arose. And the type of slimey statement they will make to justify themselfes.

But maybe they aren't funded by Brighton Council and are somehow self funded through charitable trusts.

I hope what I have posted hasn't upset you.

It was just seeing that photo of their banner and thinking how did a group like that ever become a recognised support service.

Take good care of yourself.

Just be nice? Wtaf. Obviously they have realised the #bekind movement is no longer working so on to another way to shut people down. #nothankyou #iamdone.

Still think about you a lot Sarah, hope you are doing okay (ish)

I know my legal team have looked into the funding and they receive restricted funds to support female survivors of rape and sexual assault over the age of 14.

The problem is the CEO and trustees consider some male people to be female. Their position is TWAW.

My legal challenge is that position is indirect sex discrimination to women and girls born female.

So I'm worried I might have said the wrong thing and obviously in no way think that Sarah that you dont have a really good legal case.

As I said, the picture just sent me off as it is a public statement that they aren't inclusive of women. And didn't funders look into this discrimination against women's rights to single sex services as written about in the Equality Act?

Have now looked at their web site, so it isn't just Brighton Council but a whole group of organisations who give them money:

We deliver services funded by Brighton and Hove and East Sussex local authorities, Children in Need, The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Brighton and Hove Third Sector Investment Partnership, NHS, Ministry of Justice, Lloyds Bank Foundation, Sussex Community Foundation, The National Lottery and Diocese of Chichester

As the young girls holding those banners get older and wiser, I hope they admit to themselves what fools they have been.

I'm always struck by how 'be nice' means they are telling rape survivors to be nice to male people, rather than perhaps, as a rape crisis centre, they should be nice to rape survivors.

@IwantToRetire you haven't said anything wrong. Thank you for being so supportive

This!!

Nobody is more astounded than me about the legal action. They claim to be a survivor led organisation.

After I spoke to them I felt confident that one single sex support group would be granted. I knew I couldn't be the only survivor who didn't want to pretend male people are women. Turns out I was right but they refuse to budge even an inch.

Sarah We're with you.

How DARE they use the word feminist on their sign?!

I'm always struck by how 'be nice' means they are telling rape survivors to be nice to male people, rather than perhaps, as a rape crisis centre, they should be nice to rape survivors.

I know. The message on that banner is aimed at rape survivors! It should be unimaginable. That it isn't, much less that people apparently tolerate it without question, is staggering.

As a twice rape victim myself, I can't even imagine insult being added to those painful physical and psychological injuries by telling me to 'BE NICE'. By which is meant placing dick at the front and centre of my, by any definition, unenviable experience. To hell with our trauma. Men are totally at liberty to invalidate our trauma, whilst insisting we are used as props to validate their cosplaying whilst showing nothing but contempt for us.

Changed policy in my workplace now means that a colleague who sexually harassed me and was still stalking me on the premises four years later - don't know if he'll ever come back and six years on I'm still looking over my shoulder - can follow me into the lavatories and there'll be nothing I can do. I still get involuntary trauma responses (cPTSD) when forced to share intimate spaces with men. It bothers me every single time, and I don't want to live like this anymore. I should not need to feel anger and fear every time I need to use the bloody lav, FGS. All I want is for men to leave me the hell alone - this isn't a big ask.

I'm beyond furious @IamSarah - for you, me and all other women like us. The importance of your case can't be overstated.

Is being "hot" an important feminist consideration?! 🤔

Usually feminism involves saying no to males, not seeking approving male gaze.

It goes against everything they say in their own handbook, which is actually very useful and addresses the guilt survivors feel about it questions like 'why didn't you fight back?' 'Why didn't you say no?

(Answer, typical trauma responses are fight / flight / freeze / fawn)

So they should know that not all traumatised women respond with fight or flight.

Freeze and fawn aren't taken seriously enough. They are innate survival responses to an attack especially from someone who is likely to be stronger than we are and run faster than we can.

So it's especially disappointing to see women telling each other to "be nice" by deliberately breaking down the boundaries that women have set up to protect ourselves from innately bigger stronger and more aggressive people.

After I spoke to them I felt confident that one single sex support group would be granted. I knew I couldn't be the only survivor who didn't want to pretend male people are women. Turns out I was right but they refuse to budge even an inch.

This should be sent to each of their funders.

It just emphasises that they are more interested in foghorning their politics than actually being a support service.

And they have no shame.

Funny isn't it that the "be kind" mantra is always for everyone else but never ever for women.

@MarieIVanArkleStinks

This is just shockingly awful.

So sorry that you are being put through this.

@MarieIVanArkleStinks I'm so sorry 😞