(Comes with a content warning) - Reduxx EXCLUSIVE: Two Survivors Allege They Were “Groomed,” Sexually Exploited By Staff at Scottish LGBT Youth Charity

31 replies

ResisterRex · 23/12/2022 08:40

Lengthy, grim piece in Reduxx

reduxx.info/exclusive-two-survivors-allege-they-were-groomed-sexually-exploited-by-staff-at-scottish-lgbt-youth-charity/

"Two men who had previously accessed services at LGBT Youth Scotland as minors have come forward to speak to Reduxx about what they describe as a nightmarish involvement with the charity – one they allege involved child grooming and sexual exploitation. Sam Cowie and Daniel Nechtan, two abuse survivors, are demanding an inquiry into the organization and asking why no investigation was launched after the CEO was imprisoned for raping a baby.
LGBT Youth Scotlandd_, formerly the Stonewall Youth Project, is known as Scotland’s national charity for “LGBTI young people.” The organization works with youth aged 13 to 25, and delivers programs to schools, organizations and businesses. The charity was founded in 1989 and renamed in 2003, the same year a notorious pedophile, James Rennie, became the Chief Executive Officer.
In 2009, Rennie was found guilty and given “lifelong restriction” orders after it was discovered he was operating what was described as Scotland’s “largest pedophile network.”
Renniee_ and a man named Neil Strachan were considered the ringleaders of the network, which involved at least eight other men who collectively held over 125,000 pieces of child sexual abuse materials. The ring was broken up in 2007 after a lengthy operation by Lothian and Borders police.
Other men arrested include John Murphy, a former journalist with The Gay Times; Neil Campbell, an after-school program instructor who was married with children but led a double life with a male lover; and Craig Boath, who had just applied to become a special constable with police. Neil Strachan’s much younger boyfriend, Colin Slaven, was also amongst those arrested. Slaven had been a minor when Strachan began a “relationship” with him."

OP posts:

ArabellaScott · 27/12/2022 15:09

Mhairi Crawford, chief exec of LGBTYS, gave evidence to Scotgov as part of the consultation on GRR:

www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-equalities-human-rights-and-civil-justice-committee/meetings/2022/ehrcjs62214

ArabellaScott · 27/12/2022 15:10

'We know that discrimination is not allowed in the workplace, but we regularly hear from young people who have lost opportunities or had them delayed when an employer has found out that they are trans. I have recently heard from young people whom I am working with about investigations for fraud by, for example, the Student Loans Company, because their birth certificate does not match the rest of their identification, even though they disclosed their identity when first making an application.'

investigating fraud is 'discrimination'.

(From Crawford's evidence in above link/meeting)

ArabellaScott · 27/12/2022 15:17

More excerpts from Mhairi Crawford's evidence:

'young people really want to shorten or eliminate the lived experience requirement'

'We are concerned that, if young people do not have a supportive family, those who have acquired a GRC might face vexatious challenges through the courts from their parents, carers or supporters.'

'There are more than 1,000 young people—that is, people who are 17 or under—on the waiting list on Scotland. That is a huge number, and that leaves young trans men and women in limbo. They can, and often do, progress with social transition, but they cannot progress with medical transition. Under the current scheme, if they wait so long to obtain the first appointment, there is no way they can even consider getting a gender recognition certificate. That is one of the reasons why we are so keen on that changing.'

'If you are looking at the gender recognition certificate, please remember what we have talked about: trans people have come out and lived in their true gender, often for years, so a bit of paper makes absolutely no difference to them accessing single-sex spaces'

'Eighty-two per cent of the trans young people whom we consulted, from youth groups or in online surveys, feel that the three-month reflection period post application is too long or unnecessary. They have pointed out that applying for a GRC is currently one of the last things that trans men and women do in their transition. As a result, many feel that they have ample time to reflect on it and that the reflection period is therefore utterly unnecessary. Interestingly, many young people feel that a reflection period after statutory declaration does not respect their decision and effectively contravenes article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is about respecting the views of the child.
I go back to my earlier point about the average age of coming out as trans being 15 years old. Vic Valentine has mentioned that people take a long time in introspection, figuring out who they are before they even come out. If we think of that period of time before people come out—and if the average age for coming out is 15—people have already been living in, and reflecting on, their acquired gender for years before they turn 16, so the addition of an additional three-month waiting period is unnecessary.'

NeighbourhoodWatchPotholeDivision · 28/12/2022 00:09

The group was granted an award for its work, just this month.

statement

THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II PLATINUM JUBILEE VOLUNTEERING AWARD

LGBT Youth Scotland is delighted to win prestigious Royal Volunteering Award

A judging panel chaired by Martyn Lewis CBE has recognised the volunteering programme at LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS) with one of only 20 UK awards given in the name of the late queen, Queen Elizabeth.

“The work your charity does for young people was very much admired by the award’s judging panel, chaired by Sir Martyn Lewis CBE. We are delighted to inform you that His Majesty The King has approved their recommendation that LGBT Youth Scotland should receive the award. We hope that everyone involved, and particularly your volunteers, will feel immensely proud of it.”

The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award recognises and celebrates outstanding national charities working to empower young people and provide them with skills and opportunities, with volunteers playing a key role in delivering this work.