Leena van Deventer must be removed from her position as board member for the Victorian Women's Trust.
On June 28, the Daily Mail reported that a UK woman is suing the UK Survivors' Network for indirect discrimination after they allowed a trans identified male to attend a support group for female victims of male sexual violence. The woman, clearly suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, had a panic attack triggered by the man's presence in what she thought was a safe space.
In response to this news, Leena van Deventer tweeted that this woman - a survivor of child sexual abuse and rape - "should be spat on at every opportunity". She went on to wish death upon the woman and slurred her as a "shitheel".
The Victorian Women's Trust must immediately remove Leena van Deventer from their board. She has no business representing women or women's issues given this appalling and abhorrent abuse of a woman. Her lack of understanding regarding trauma informed care for victims of male sexual violence is shocking and borders on victim blaming.
We call upon the Victorian Women's Trust to fire Leena van Deventer and to review their misguided policies that position the interests of trans identified males above those of actual women. There are countless well funded LGBTQIA+ organisations that can accommodate the needs of trans identified men. Victorian Women's Trust must return to their original mission of advocating for girls and women.
Updates
July 7, 2022
One thousand people have confirmed that the Victorian Women's Trust cannot keep someone on their board who openly attacks sexual assault survivors. The board is ignoring our calls but they cannot ignore these numbers forever.
Reached 1,000 supporters
July 6, 2022
July 4, 2022
The Victorian Women's Trust is still trying to ignore us while keeping a person who attacks abuse survivors on their board. Their silence confirms they do not care about the women they are supposed to protect. Do not let them sweep this under the rug.
July 4, 2022
The Victorian Women's Trust is banking on our silence but we are about to hit one thousand signatures. Do not let Leena van Deventer off the hook for her vile abuse of a survivor. Hit send and blast this link everywhere so they cannot ignore us when we hit that milestone.
Reached 100 supporters
July 4, 2022
472 Comments
Absolutely shocking comments to make about anyone, let alone a rape victim. The claimant isn’t asking for services to take away anything from transgender victims, only to also supply a female only service. Women have a right to this by law.
Trauma responses do not adhere to gender identity politics. Women who are sexually assaulted by men need compassion and privacy, not social media declarations endorsing further abuse. Remove Ms. van Deventer from her position now!
The comments made regarding a woman rape victim, that she should be spat on, have stayed with me. What a horrendous thing to say and inciting violence on a rape victim. She should be removed from any Board and any position that impacts on women
I believe this woman has had inadequate training in speaking to and supporting female victims. Her language is violent & blamey. If she went through any interview process it failed. She is not suitable for this sensitive role.
I was stunned to see these vicious comments directed towards a vulnerable woman seeking support, but the fact that this violent misogyny came from someone representing a feminist organisation claiming to support women to thrive is sickening.
Agree
Anti-trans "activists" are awful people, but Leena is no better. She has a history of frequently using homophobic slurs directed at gamers making her current position here, the games industry, and as a lecturer beyond baffling. Her tweet is just a sample of the vitriol that she has spouted in the past and will no doubt continue to harbour. People make mistakes, but this is a pattern.
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Leena van Deventer must be removed from her position as board member for the Victorian Women's Trust.
On June 28, the Daily Mail reported that a UK woman is suing the UK Survivors' Network for indirect discrimination after they allowed a trans identified male to attend a support group for female victims of male sexual violence. The woman, clearly suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, had a panic attack triggered by the man's presence in what she thought was a safe space.
In response to this news, Leena van Deventer tweeted that this woman - a survivor of child sexual abuse and rape - "should be spat on at every opportunity". She went on to wish death upon the woman and slurred her as a "shitheel".
The Victorian Women's Trust must immediately remove Leena van Deventer from their board. She has no business representing women or women's issues given this appalling and abhorrent abuse of a woman. Her lack of understanding regarding trauma informed care for victims of male sexual violence is shocking and borders on victim blaming.
We call upon the Victorian Women's Trust to fire Leena van Deventer and to review their misguided policies that position the interests of trans identified males above those of actual women. There are countless well funded LGBTQIA+ organisations that can accommodate the needs of trans identified men. Victorian Women's Trust must return to their original mission of advocating for girls and women.
Updates
July 7, 2022
One thousand people have confirmed that the Victorian Women's Trust cannot keep someone on their board who openly attacks sexual assault survivors. The board is ignoring our calls but they cannot ignore these numbers forever.
Reached 1,000 supporters
July 6, 2022
July 4, 2022
The Victorian Women's Trust is still trying to ignore us while keeping a person who attacks abuse survivors on their board. Their silence confirms they do not care about the women they are supposed to protect. Do not let them sweep this under the rug.
July 4, 2022
The Victorian Women's Trust is banking on our silence but we are about to hit one thousand signatures. Do not let Leena van Deventer off the hook for her vile abuse of a survivor. Hit send and blast this link everywhere so they cannot ignore us when we hit that milestone.
Reached 100 supporters
July 4, 2022
472 Comments
This is the first time that I have supported removing a woman from her post. I don't do so lightly, but this individual's comments are so violently misogynist that she should not be in a position of influence in a woman's group.
Absolutely shocking comments to make about anyone, let alone a rape victim. The claimant isn’t asking for services to take away anything from transgender victims, only to also supply a female only service. Women have a right to this by law.
Trauma responses do not adhere to gender identity politics. Women who are sexually assaulted by men need compassion and privacy, not social media declarations endorsing further abuse. Remove Ms. van Deventer from her position now!
The comments made regarding a woman rape victim, that she should be spat on, have stayed with me. What a horrendous thing to say and inciting violence on a rape victim. She should be removed from any Board and any position that impacts on women
I believe this woman has had inadequate training in speaking to and supporting female victims. Her language is violent & blamey. If she went through any interview process it failed. She is not suitable for this sensitive role.
I was stunned to see these vicious comments directed towards a vulnerable woman seeking support, but the fact that this violent misogyny came from someone representing a feminist organisation claiming to support women to thrive is sickening.
Agree
Anti-trans "activists" are awful people, but Leena is no better. She has a history of frequently using homophobic slurs directed at gamers making her current position here, the games industry, and as a lecturer beyond baffling. Her tweet is just a sample of the vitriol that she has spouted in the past and will no doubt continue to harbour. People make mistakes, but this is a pattern.
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This is the first time that I have supported removing a woman from her post. I don't do so lightly, but this individual's comments are so violently misogynist that she should not be in a position of influence in a woman's group.