Backlash against female only rape crisis groups

[IamSarah]

This article in The Critic discusses the backlash to my legal challenge. Very grateful to Victoria Smith for highlighting the misogyny female rape survivors face from some 'feminists'

thecritic.co.uk/spaces-of-our-own/

I just don’t get the big deal about meeting your needs with one group from which biological males are excluded. It’s almost like they don’t care about rape victims.

That's a powerful piece, Sarah - so glad you have such support and hope it counters the hostility.

Victoria Smith is a excellent writer and she's got it spot on.

Thanks for everything you are doing to help female rape victims.

I'm sorry that you are having to go through this @IamSarah but please remember that you have an army of supporters who have your back we may not be able to physically be there for you but we are here and will be every step of the way 💐

Thank you for fighting on - the stress must be awful. All good wishes to you and I hope you get both the verdict and the support that you deserve.

Thank you for your courage Sarah - absolutely horrendous that you are having to take this to court but I'm so grateful to you for fighting back. This could be a game-changer.

They're exposing themselves more and more. Which is all to the good.

It's getting hard now to deny the absolute misogyny and inability to see or think about anything but the TQ+ interests. Which makes it so much easier for a court to see that female interests are at times going to be incompatible when a service is politically focused on a TQ+ brief, because they have no remaining ability to see or care about female clients, and see those female voices and needs and realities as nothing more than hostile threats to their own agenda.

Incompatible for service provision. QED.

The Aesop's Fable of dog in the manger gets stronger and stronger: I do not need myself the specific resource that you are dependent on, but will do everything in my power to prevent you having it. Because reasons.

Unreasonable. Odd. Unacceptable. Have odd political views by all means, but they cannot be acceptable as a reason to deny other people equality of service and access.

And if 're framing trauma' is the answer and should be expected of those in distress, my answer would be to the TQ+ lobby: you first.

Go and use sex based spaces; reframe your trauma around transition and not being able to. Reframe your trauma around misgendering. Reframe your trauma around females saying no and wanting spaces of their own that recognise them as half the bloody human race. You first.

When you prove it's a lovely, happy wonderland that leads to being able to cope easily with what is so distressing - and it's a moral imperative to overcome it - then perhaps females will consider following the example.

Until then? It sounds like coercive bullshit that sets out demands for sacrifice and selfless suffering from females that males have absolutely no intention of ever making themselves. They will simply demand that females do all the servicing of their needs so they don't have to. There's words for that. Very, very old ones.

Thank you so much for the support and wise words. It really, really helps.

Yes there have been some awful responses to my case but there has also been so much support and kindness. Women are amazing.

@IamSarah Keep on going. we are all with you in spirit.

@Artichokeleaves "And if 're framing trauma' is the answer and should be expected of those in distress, my answer would be to the TQ+ lobby: you first."

The whole of that post currently has me in absolute tears. Probably because in my head I can hear you saying it with the force and I've had enough of this shit it requires!

I love reading clearly written articles which are inteligently argued, with relevant examples and links which actually go somewhere when you click on them.

As a fellow rape survivor, I want to thank you for taking this stand @IamSarah. I am 100% behind you.

I find myself wondering what proportion of (female) rape survivors feel as we do. I know that in the couple of years after my attack (a particularly ruthless stranger rape) it could take a man to merely stand up quickly for my heart to race. I remember one man jokingly coming into the girls' changing rooms in my boat club and my legs turned to jelly. There's absolutely no way I'd have wanted a male person to be allowed into what I considered to be a safe space. Are there survivors of rape who feel differently I wonder? In some ways it would be nice to know that you (we) are speaking for the majority of (female) rape survivors.

The response you have received for asking for just one single sex group, among the myriad of mixed sex groups available, has been both shocking and appalling. There is no answer from those shrieking 'what about trans people' when it's pointed out that you haven't asked at any point for these groups to be stopped or why they believe that all these other groups can exist but not one single sex one. They simply ignore it.

Your bravery under extreme hostility and unpleasantness has been deeply impressive. Thank you for fighting this fight.

<3 thanks for sharing it's a great article

Excellent piece. Thank you Sarah, you are fighting for all of us and I cannot believe this is even a question. You have to be a truly vile human being to oppose single sex spaces for women rape victims.

Great article, thank you Sarah. Please know that me and my nearest stand with you. I think you're incredible. Love and solidarity to you 💪

An Australian woman working for an Australian organisation in charge of assaulted women has criticised Sarah, calling her all sorts of names. i.e. sh1theel.

"Leena van Deventer must be removed from her position as board member for the Victorian Women's Trust.
On June 28, the Daily Mail reported that a UK woman is suing the UK Survivors' Network for indirect discrimination after they allowed a trans identified male to attend a support group for female victims of male sexual violence. The woman, clearly suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, had a panic attack triggered by the man's presence in what she thought was a safe space.
In response to this news, Leena van Deventer tweeted that this woman - a survivor of child sexual abuse and rape - "should be spat on at every opportunity". She went on to wish death upon the woman and slurred her as a "shitheel".
The Victorian Women's Trust must immediately remove Leena van Deventer from their board. She has no business representing women or women's issues given this appalling and abhorrent abuse of a woman. Her lack of understanding regarding trauma informed care for victims of male sexual violence is shocking and borders on victim blaming.
We call upon the Victorian Women's Trust to fire Leena van Deventer and to review their misguided policies that position the interests of trans identified males above those of actual women. There are countless well funded LGBTQIA+ organisations that can accommodate the needs of trans identified men. Victorian Women's Trust must return to their original mission of advocating for girls and women."

There is a petition which has been created to remove this woman from her post. I know we cannot post petitions here, but please google Leena van Deventer Victorian Women's Trust and please sign and share if you would like to.

More power to your elbow, Sarah. In absolute awe of your courage and strength.

Norden there is a petition's board somewhere on Mumsnet

Great article. Thank you for posting Sarah and thank you for taking up the fight. I do so hope you win.

Wow, I got a message deleted supporting Sarah wanting single sex spaces.

I did not say anything abusive or name a specific person.

I simply stated who shouldn't be in women only spaces.

Sarah, you have full support of women who understand that women need single-sex spaces to heal.

I read the thread a few days ago started by another Australian ‘queer’ journalist and it was appalling. It was apparent from the start that many of the commentators had been very selective in what they had picked up from Sarah’s story and had no idea about the fact that whilst the crisis centre had offered various groups for males and trans victims there was no female equivalent (I think that is correct). There was the usual how did you know it was a man and well I’m trans masc and I often get mistaken for male, it was probably a butch lesbian etc etc. It was full of excuse upon excuse and sadly it was the young women who were the most vile. Fortunately though there were many women and men (initially trying to explain the actual situation - unfortunately to closed ears) who basically called them out on how utterly disgusting they were. Sorry Sarah that you are going through this but Twitter is not a reflection of real life (you can guarantee that on a Saturday afternoon everything trending is about football) and you have a lot of support. The fact that the EHRC give the need for single sex options at a rape crisis centre as a prime example only goes to show that IRL these are very much needed. Good luck.