Brighton-based Rape Crisis Centre bullied into setting up support group for only cis women.
Sexual violence support organisation Survivors Network has resolved its long running legal challenge from a former service user who goes by the pseudonym “Sarah Summers.”
The charity will now start a pilot group for women which excludes trans women. The new group sits alongside existing provisions and operates with new funding from the Office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner.
In a shared statement, Sarah Summers and Survivors Network said:
“We are happy to share that Survivors’ Network has reached a mutual agreement with GCS, known in her public communications as “Sarah Surviving” resolving the legal challenge brought against our organisation. We are pleased that this matter has been resolved without the need for trial.
Survivors’ Network is proud to be providing a new peer support group for biological women and we are collaborating with Sarah Surviving along with other women survivors about this additional space. This group will be open to biological women who identify as women and biological women who do not have a gender identity. We understand for some biological women such a space is imperative for their healing and acknowledges their trauma.
This group will run alongside our existing provision. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow through this process and we remain dedicated to serving all survivors with compassion, integrity and respect.”
Summers began her campaign in November 2021 with a Daily Mail article headlined “Rape victim is forced to quit her therapy sessions because she feels threatened by a 6ft trans woman in men's clothes who - a woke charity insists - has as much right to be there as she does.”
The article says Summers joined the group knowing it was for self-identifying women but assumed only cis women would choose to join. She then complained when a trans woman joined the group. Survivors Network responded by saying “We do not police gender and we do not define who is and is not a woman; we allow women to define this for themselves” and advising that she move to one-to-one support or find another service.
Summers’ lawsuit claims that only offering trans-inclusive services is indirect discrimination against cis women. Summers has been represented by Didlaw, Karon Monaghan KC (Forstater), and Naomi Cunningham (FWS V Scottish Ministers; NHS Fife V Sandie Peggie).
Summers has been supported by Sisters Salon, who wrote an open letter in support of Summers.
The case was set to go to a final hearing 22nd-30th Sepdember in Brighton County Court.