Today we're publishing a year-long @galdemzine investigation. I've talked to whistleblowers in the UK's violence against women sector about how rising transphobia is preventing trans women from getting help for sexual and domestic violence. https://gal-dem.com/transphobia-sexual-violence-sound-like-a-man-hang-up-vawg-investigation/

It's the beginning of Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness Week. Trans women are twice at risk of experiencing domestic & sexual abuse, yet I discovered they are becoming both invisible to vital services & being deliberately frozen out by a cohort of powerful feminists.

We spoke on record to workers at some of the biggest frontline and second tier services in the VAWG sector. All were too scared to waive their anonymity for fear of legal reprisals and being targeted by transphobic feminists who wield massive power and influence.

TW: transphobia

There were some really horrendous stories I heard, like the director of operations who instructed staff to "hang up" on women calling the helpline if they "sound like a man" – even if they identified as women.

The report also looks into the UK landscape of transphobia right now and what makes it so hostile. I spoke to @alisonphipps who discussed the concept of "political whiteness" with me in relation to some of the worst perpetrators.

Not all sexual violence services are transphobic. There are several who are actively trying to include. But as @mridul_wadhwa explains, they have to do this explicitly and loudly – or trans women are not going to approach them in the first place.

This piece focuses on the experiences of trans women but for non-binary individuals, this situation is just as sharp – especially as there are no legal provisions to ensure they should be given access to services.

There is a glimmer of hope: workers unionising is beginning to some power back in their hands. And ultimately, the powerful feminists pushing a transphobic agenda is unrepresentative – they just have disproportionate amounts of influence.

At the heart of the issue though, we should not forget that this about people, people who are being excluded from crucial services. As @carasadhbh says, it's a "degradation" & it's "embarrassing" that we are having to "humanise" trans women to get them this basic right.

I don't usually ask people to read my pieces beyond a tweet but I hope that you might spare this one some time today.