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

Sorry - I didn't mean to hijack Sarah's thread but this shit makes me so incandescently angry that sometimes I rant.

I'm also intending to make the point about how much I appreciate Sarah's actions. As you said upthread Sarah, it does feel personal.

Thank you @IwantToRetire and @MassiveWordSalad for your very kind comments. The stalking situation inadvertently got me the cPTSD diagnosis, and I was able to have the condition treated and resolve some long-ago issues. Ironically, it did me a favour. But I'm sure like many? most? other women, sometimes the injustices we experience simply by virtue of being born female do get wearisome and infuriating from time to time.

Quick update from the case management hearing. This is going to be a slow process. Another preliminary hearing in December and the full hearing won't be until June 2024.

We've had a bit of drama and bad behaviour already. Part of me is relieved the hearing can be put off for a while as I am dreading it.

I wish it could just be over and there was a support group to go to.

So sorry you’ve had to put up with that, Sarah, and that this very long process is going to be even longer. We are all here, supporting you, and just sorry that you can’t access the RL support that you deserve.

Bad behaviour? You do surprise me! 🤔 who would have expected that!

Unless there's anything you need to do on it, try to just put it on a high shelf in your mind for a while, there but out of view!

I'm sorry it's dragging on for so long!

Best wishes Sarah. The legal system seems even slower than NHS waiting lists. Why just why does it have to take so long when it costs so much?.

I wonder if Beira's Place could help you with support in the meantime?

I wish it could just be over and there was a support group to go to.

So sorry Sarah that this is still dragging on.

And that yes you could focus on what you need - a support group.

Have you been able to access any telephone support lines out side of your area.

Although it isn't clear (which it should be) the new Rape Crisis Helpline (England) https://247sexualabusesupport.org.uk/ says that you will be talking to: One of our specialist operators, all of whom are women. All of our operators understand how complex sexual violence, abuse and harassment can be. And they also understand that everyone's experiences and feelings are different. https://247sexualabusesupport.org.uk/faqs/#who-will-i-be-talking-to

Thank you for the kind words of support

Just been for a lovely, long solitary dip in the sea. For the moment swimming is my therapy.

Actually I have had some indirect help from Beira's place, unfortunately it's too far for any peer support but I've been helped by someone there.

There will be an update on my fundraising page tomorrow with the timetable but aside from that there probably wont be much happening until December.

Enjoy the swimming

Yet another example of the process being the punishment.

All power to you Sarah. You and all women deserve so much more but I’m glad swimming is some form of therapy for you. 🌷

Sarah much ❤️❤️to you You are such a strong woman

I shared this on Twitter so thought I would share here too. Ironically there is an acceptable peer support group for female people in Brighton!

But somehow the shared experiences of women who have survived male sexual violence aren't important enough to warrant a support group.

Well, now. That can't harm your case.

Although 'pier' support group and 'Brighton' in the same sentence...seems like hard work 😊

I hope you have a lovely day today. I hope the sun shines for you and you have at least some time to do something that makes you happy.

So if you just claim to be trans masculine you can have a female only group but not otherwise. I wonder if that will be gatecrashed too.

Hi @IamSarah thank you for the updates and I am sorry it is all taking so long.

@Boiledbeetle 's image is making me think of turtles migrating thousands of miles slow and steady, getting where they're going as long as it takes, flying through the water.

Nice to see that some some women are getting a female-only support group. Only they have to think they're men to get it. Funny old world, eh? Ah well it's all evidence.

And talking of evidence I spotted this old quote from Mridul Wadwha which seems to state clearly that women self-exclude due to the presence of transwomen (males) and that Edinburgh Rape Crisis know it:

You have large groups of survivors, some are not using our services because they see us as trans inclusive and feeling that they may be exposed to… er… to an issue that they are not prepared to deal with.

The source is an article in The Critic in 2021 https://thecritic.co.uk/unclean/ and the quote is from a virtual meeting in Sheffield titled “Building Intersectional Inclusion in Rape Crisis Services”. Wadwha may have rowed back on the view that these women should "reframe their trauma" but this seems a clear recognition that self exclusion is happening by someone in a position to know. Maybe invite Wadwha as an expert witness for the prosecution

Enjoy your swimming! May the sun shine for you and the water stay clear.

Navigate Brighton - so you can get single sex support - if you are a woman, as long as you pretend you're not.

FFS

Navigate Brighton - so you can get single sex support - if you are a woman, as long as you pretend you're not.

For me this helps to explain why so many young women are "transmasculine" now. It's the new socially and politically acceptable route to having at least some aspects of sexism recognised and to being in women-only (female-only) groups of like-minded women. Just being a "woman" isn't seen as a justification any more. It's old-fashioned, rightwing, paternalistic to support women as women, even when it's women supporting each other (in which case the excuse is "yabbut it's only white women so non-intersectional")

No wonder so many young women want to abandon ship and be "transmasc" instead of women who are (say) feminist. Unfortunately "transmasc" comes with physical side effects and political limitations. Or asterisks, as my DC would say.

I doubt it. Attending women only rape support groups is validating for trans women. Spending time with females who want to be male isn't.

But the women are doing something without them, have to send a few non binary males in to stop that.

For me this helps to explain why so many young women are "transmasculine" now.

Doesn't it just? No wonder why young women want to "identify" out of being female when they will only get the help they need by pretending to be male. What better way to show them that women don't matter and that you're going to get the shitty end of life's stick?

If it wasn't so depressing or rage inspiring you would want to ask these simpletons how they can say this but not think women deserve equal consideration.

Are there any politicians in Brighton / Sussex who have any idea how badly women are being let down?

Once again so sorry Sarah - but brilliant that you are keeping on fighting - and illustrating the sheer madness of what is going on.

I wouldn't be surprised. But those transmasc women will be suprised because they haven't been round the block yet. It's why transmasculinity appeals to the youngsters not the older women. Some older women will cheerlead to be "down with the kids" and because it's new and exciting, but even they're not daft (well, inexperienced) enough to do it to themselves.

Anyone fancy doing a little gardening?

https://twitter.com/SarahSurviving/status/1696831012167111098?s=19

Thank you Boiled

Someone pointed out my court case is likely to coincide with a general election and MPs might use it for political points.

Let's see if Keir Starmer's u turn was genuine.

That's what, nearly 2 years to get inside a court room for a rape victim to be able to try and get hold of resources for help? It's abhorrent.

WTAF is the matter with these people, what happened to them, what's missing from them that they would do this? And WTF are the authorities with any sense of basic common sense and decency?

So sorry Sarah. As said, the process is the punishment. The aim is that most women will be forced to give up, go away, run out of money, just be oppressed naicely without making a fuss about it.

Right side of history with a lot of people wearing jackboots.