The plot thickens. It turns out that the partner of Sandy Brindley, the CEO of Rape Crisis Scotland, is one Sharon Cowan, Professor of Feminist and Queer Legal Studies at Edinburgh University. I know - an academic specialising in " transgender legal issues, and queer legal theory" at the heart of the ERCC controversy. Who would have thought?
I've been aware of one of the incidents described in this thread for a long time, because I know people involved. I'm posting this in response to the head of Rape Crisis Scotland's attempts to use rape survivors as human shields for her own career. 1/9 https://t.co/izYb8FEYkE
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 15, 2024
Full thread:
The incident involves a group of female sexual assault survivors, who a few years ago requested a meeting with Sandy Brindley, head of Rape Crisis Scotland. They wanted to express their concerns about gender self-ID legislation. 2/9
Specifically, the survivors wanted Rape Crisis Scotland to support a woman's right to request a female medical practitioner. They went to the meeting well aware that they'd be reliving and possibly discussing their own highly traumatic experiences . 3/9
When they arrived at the meeting, the survivors found another woman present, in addition to Sandy Brindley. This woman wasn't introduced, so the survivors assumed she must be another woman who'd experienced rape or sexual assault. 4/9
They were mistaken. The woman in question was @sharoncowan22 , Sandy Brindley's romantic partner, who had no role at Rape Crisis Scotland but is an academic with a particular interest in gender identity and trans issues. 5/9
Sandy Brindley, the head of a rape crisis charity, had invited her girlfriend to sit in on a meeting with victims, none of whom had given consent to identifying themselves as rape survivors in front of a total stranger. 6/9
As if that wasn't enough, @sharoncowan22 spoke up during the meeting to berate and criticise women who want same-sex medical care. The survivors' concerns were dismissed and they were sent on their way. 7/9
What happened at that meeting has been an open secret ever since among people particularly engaged in the gender self-ID debate. A large number of people were aware that Sandy Brindley had been guilty of a staggering breach of trust and lack of professionalism. 8/9
Brindley, who claims to be unaware of calls for her to be fired, is responsible for the catastrophe at Edinburgh Rape Crisis. She has betrayed rape survivors' trust in the most brazen ways imaginable. Scottish rape survivors deserve far, far better. Brindley has to go. 9/9
The Times today:
The head of Scotland’s leading sexual assault support service is facing growing demands to stand down amid the fallout of a damning report into the running of a centre in Edinburgh....
A number of women’s groups have joined the Harry Potter author JK Rowling in now calling for the head of RCS, Sandy Brindley, to resign as well.
They insist she endorsed Wadhwa’s appointment and was vocal in support for the former chief executive despite concerns having been repeatedly raised with her over the failure to protect single-sex support for rape and sexual assault victims under Wadhwa’s leadership.
They say worries about Wadhwa raised with Brindley as far back as 2021 were dismissed, with Brindley accusing critics of “misinformation” and “harassment” and threatening to report anyone referring to Wadhwa as a man despite the fact that Wadhwa does not have a gender recognition certificate.
Mary Howden, of the Women’s Rights Network Scotland, said: “Sandy Brindley, the trustees and Mridul Wadwha have been so driven in their ideological belief of gender identity and self-ID they have allowed these beliefs to override the needs of vulnerable women who have been sexually assaulted. Their actions have caused irreparable harm.
“In any other area, such a damning judgment from a tribunal would have resulted in the immediate dismissal of an employee. The fact that Sandy Brindley remains in employment is a shocking indictment of how little respect they have for survivors. She should be dismissed immediately.”
To clarify Rowling's comment about "the head of Rape Crisis Scotland's attempts to use rape survivors as human shields for her own career"...
We have been sent the following email (with permission to share) of a complaint about Sandy Brindley to RCS. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of it! pic.twitter.com/ckrCDrv6VG
— For Women Scotland (@ForWomenScot) September 15, 2024
Click to enlarge:
It's a real head scratcher how a supposed feminist would inflict this on women at their most damaged and vulnerable.
Posted by: Ken | September 19, 2024 at 08:46 PM