Rape Crisis - staff consultation on women only/single sex spaces/services

[ArabeIIaScott]

https://rapecrisis.org.uk/about-us/women-only-spaces/

Good, clear questions, here.

'Many of our member organisations have asked RCEW to articulate a position on women-only services and trans inclusion. We seek to start that here.'

'We intend to design a consultation that enables us to hear many voices across our network on this issue. Early in 2024, we will launch a consultation to hear from staff and volunteers (including trustees) working at RCEW and our member Rape Crisis centres to understand whether they think RCEW can remain an organisation that welcomes multiple approaches on the delivery of services that are sex-based or gender-based, or whether they wish to see us adopt and promote a particular view.'

I wonder if they're going to ask for the views of rape survivors/service users, at any point.

I believe this is the flag?

Well yes, talking here has moved mountains. All the newspaper articles and the voices slowly starting to wrench the wheel around on this speeding tanker were rooted from women talking here, and I still see things discussed on threads that a few weeks later pop up in an article somewhere. It's no waste of time.

Nor am I going to accept that this is ok, or that 'feminism' has changed, or that the TRA line that we're just a few old bats not keeping up with the Zeit Geist is true.

This is not a situation that has naturally evolved. It has been intentionally created by an extremist political movement, that is in essence a male supremacist one. It excludes and harms women to stroke male egos, and cannot tolerate providing services alongside.

And I will be here, pointing that out, as often and as clearly as necessary (waves to the politicians, aids, journalists, women from all branches of services and activities that read here) because it IS shifting.

Slower than bloody molasses, but it is. People are waking up to the idea that this is wrong. And government funding has to require by law that ALL service users are provided with accessible provisions, and that includes female only. Regardless of how sad that makes male people.

Services can and will have funding withdrawn if they fail to provide for males.

Yes, of course, everybody knows that, and ditto being transinclusive.

But that doesn't alter the fact that those working in rape crisis services dont all share the same views.

And they are the ones being surveyed.

Its also worth remembering that many helplines on an number of issues are totally volunteer, and so dont have costs apart from the telephone line that is the advertised number that then re-directs to volunteers working from home.

Many 70s feminists were against taking funding because they felt it would make services under the control of funders.

Added towhich funders created an ethos that bigger was better. So many services that could be small and collectively controlled grew into large corporate structures with any number of add ons to the primary service. Funders always assume that something that is large and is seen to be able to handle a large funding stream is a better service. ie they are judging them of corporate values.

This is where the mission drift comes in. Not so much ideological, but the lure of money.

So not only do we need many more women prepared to volunteer or support women one services in their own area, but also lobby funders, for example Brighton Council.