Mermaids being investigated by the charity commission

[MajorieEks]

“hoisted by their own petard” never seemed more apt, if true

But now the press are on it, Mermaids can never be sure that the 'teen' they're talking to isn't a journalist.

So all they need is just one parent to report them to the police. I can't be the only parent of teens who would be straight to the police if I found a 'charity' had sent my 13 year old a binder without my knowledge

indeed. And I hope mermaids will now inform the parents of all the girls they supplied binders to in secret.

And here's the other one - article by Lucy bannerman.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bb4574c0-40e5-11ed-a7af-c587dcb7526e?shareToken=7065e2bcfe3e0e22ec6412168e25bae2

I d only just started reading it but it's

In a statement, Mermaids said it was the victim of a “smear campaign.”
It said: “We’re in the midst of a targeted, cynical attack.”

… said the people who just took another charity to court claiming people might donate to LGBA instead of to Mermaids.

That Bannerman piece is deeply concerning.

"Unbeknown to Katie, her son had joined the charity’s youth forum, a private online community for 12-19 year-olds who are struggling with gender issues. Parents and carers are not allowed. No proof of ID or age is required, only an email address."

The platform promotes the idea parents are part of the problem. Perhaps they are but who can ascertain that by messages on the internet? Do social work do this? No. Are they social workers or trained therapists? No.
Secret forums. No proof of age required.
No mod steps in about not posting your own phone number
A mod does step in to tell them not to draw attention to Mermaids on Discord.

DISCORD

The police have been concerned about Discord for years. They warn parents not to let their kids near it.

And frankly I'm surprised Childine is apparently so well run, given what I've seen on there in the past. I assume the big charities, having been cheerleaders, now see the writing on the wall. I've no time for them. I will never forget how the NSCPCC treated women over the rubberwankman incident and I will never trust them. It is only the LGBA that's publicly stood up for child protection in this area.

But never mind the Charity Commission, based on Bannerman's article and the platforms children are accessing, it's the NCA who should be investigating Mermaids.

I don't seem to be able to access the Bannerman article - please could someone reshare?

Does this work @SeagullSausage
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bb4574c0-40e5-11ed-a7af-c587dcb7526e?shareToken=78d17baa8f4575d7fea85f410561e273

Lucy Bannerman's article about the chat rooms is horrifying. Just shows how morally redundant Mermaids is - and what a danger to children.

Given the well known issues with online harms, more so now with the investigation into what was going on for Molly Russel in the time before her death, I fail to see how mermaids has any idea of basic safeguarding understanding or training.

Which we knew, but this just highlights it even further in the most catastrophic way.

Anyone can go on a course and write or download a policy but it's putting it in to practise and then evaluating rigorously.

Disgraceful details in the Times this morning. Who are the companies who support this safeguarding nightmare of a 'charity'?

Telegraph. This time, facilitated by a law firm!

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/09/30/trans-charity-mermaids-helps-teenagers-change-name-secret/

"Mermaids says that 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds can “attend on your own” at the clinic, while under-16s need a parent or guardian and “all queries will be treated as confidential”.
...
Youngsters can log on to a Zoom call and are greeted by Mermaids staff before they are offered a one-to-one conversation with a Latham & Watkins lawyer to “answer your questions” or “receive guidance after the event”.
The most recent clinic was on Sept 5.
Operating behind parents’ backs
While anyone aged 16 or over can legally change their own name by deed poll, the clinic has raised fresh questions about the charity operating behind parents’ backs"

And

"Amanda Jones, a barrister in public law at Great James Street, said: “The overall impression is alarming; Mermaids appears to seek to marginalise and exclude parents from their children’s actions and behaviour, knowing nothing about the particular family relationships and dynamics. Safeguarding principles and law should be at the forefront of any such charity.”
Latham & Watkins did not respond to requests for comment.
Mermaids said: “We take our responsibility to protect young people’s right to autonomy seriously, and services like our Name Change Clinic are fundamentally grounded in their legal rights.”"

Tesco donated money in 2020. A quick look at LinkedIn sees a lot more companies falling over themselves to be more woke than any other and explain when Mermaids took over an internal ED&I session and then they had a bake sale, and then they sold special t-shirts etc. There are a lot of companies, a lot of them you'll know. Eg this screenshot

I mean, how dare they say that parents might be providing a 'hostile environment' when they are the ones aiming the kids straight into sterility, drugs and body modification that will affect the whole of their lives?

This isn't just 'going through a phase' for kids.

Thank you @Igneococcus . Wow. I feel so so sad.

I just hope to god these idiot companies are canning the twerps who pushed to very publicly support them and a) stick to their knitting, b) make amends.

Great but disturbing articles.

I think we need to take some responsibility for it all though. I mean obviously us parents are not referring our girls to mermaids etc but I do think sometimes we are a small part of the problem.

Mn is full of threads where parents of Little girls police their clothes and their bodies from pretty much day 1. Apply adult connotations to near enough everything and freaking out at the sign that pubety might be happening even when its at a young but within normal age

The fact a little girl remains a little girl even when she needs a bra at 9/10 is lost sometimes. Always seems to be some form of over thinking in the vest vs crop top debate. I mean the little girl probably just liked the hello kitty on her friends one and wanted one the same. Next thing she knows she's a prop to change the worlds views on underwear without even knowing why.

Sometimes I think mermaids just finishes what we started.

I know its hard most of us were probably brought up the same way and its all we know. Our parents did the same with us amd their parents before them. But there was no social media amd no platforms to wallow in hatred of your body back then. Teachers were former and harsher and didnt stand fir anything back then ( not saying we should go back there i dont fir a second think we should but focuses have changed in schools now and not all for the better)

I hope we can change it in our life times because this new generation will be the ones running the show in a few years and passing all this on. It terrifies me. And its not their fault. These charities have taken all the insecurities and amd all the problems and created such horror and disgust and then sold the "solution " along side their self fulfilling prophecies of suicide and self harm. And have been been able to create divides within loving families in a way that was never befire possible.

Just read the Janice Turner article.

Articulate as ever. Absolutely no wasted words. And, to me, appears absolutely white hot with fury, despite the stone cold words.

Safe Schools Alliance on that Bannerman article:

https://twitter.com/safeschoolsuk/status/1576090652223209473?s=46&t=lWW_21NeJ8N3tB9WCGds54g

"This is horrifying. It is also not the only online chat frequented by teens, with serious #safeguarding issues. There are similar issues with @NSPCC child line @kooth_plc messages boards & many others we have seen. @ChildrensComm must take urgent action"

Looks like time's up for Mermaids. Their lack of safeguarding is horrific.

😂

Is that the best you've got?? 😂

No fish pun intended, but they'll manage to slip off the hook - like they always do.
Same as Stonewall.

Time and time again I've heard 'time's up' for both so-called charities, but here they still are, living and breathing.

I honestly don't know why Mermaids wasn't closed down after the Cass report was published.
Surely it demolishes every single thing Mermaids do.

And yet, here we are...I'll believe it when I see it.

@MargaritaPie are you seriously defending an organisation that sends breast binders to children and encourages them onto grim on line platforms such as discord? Are you really doing that?

You can be pro trans rights and still acknowledge that Mermaids is a shitshow. Is this really the standard of care and support you want for gender questioning children? Doctors so bad they are struck off. Seriously dodgy 'help lines'? Unmoderated chat rooms? dangerous medical advice?

These are fucking CHILDREN. Can you not just stop and see what is at risk here of having such a poorly run charity dominate this space? Dont yiu want better for these kids?

Marg and Munchie-Mum et al, could watch Susie Green take out a gun (in broad daylight, with 25 witnesses), and shoot someone; and they'd say they 'needed context'.

They are simply unable to not defend it, otherwise they have to acknowledge the whole shit show.
And, like Scientologists, their neo religion doesn't allow that.