{{Short description|Scottish sexual violence support service}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use British English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox organization | name = Beira's Place | formation = 2022 | full_name = | logo = | founder = [[J. K. Rowling]] | vat_id = | status = Company | purpose = Sexual violence support | headquarters = [[Edinburgh]], Scotland | leader_title = [[Chief executive officer]] | leader_name = Isabelle Kerr | parent_organization = | website = {{url|https://beirasplace.org.uk/}} }} '''Beira's Place''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|aɪ|r|ə}} {{respell|BY|rə}})<ref name="about-us">{{Cite web |last= |title=About Us |url=https://beirasplace.org.uk/about/ |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=Beira's Place |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214195350/https://beirasplace.org.uk/about/ |url-status=live }}</ref> is a Scotland-based private support service for female victims of [[sexual violence]].<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |last= |title=Beira's Place Home |url=https://beirasplace.org.uk/ |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=Beira's Place |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214195349/https://beirasplace.org.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Founded in 2022 by [[J. K. Rowling]], the organisation describes itself as a "[[Women-only space|women-only service]]", and does not hire or provide services to [[transgender]] women.
== History == Beira's Place is a privately owned and operated [[Domestic violence in the United Kingdom|domestic violence]] service that was formed to provide support to women aged 16 and over in [[Edinburgh]] and the [[Lothian]]s who are survivors of sexual violence.<ref name="Glass 2022">{{cite news |last1=Glass |first1=JD |title=J.K. Rowling Funds Sex Abuse Crisis Center That Excludes Trans Women |url=https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2022/12/14/jk-rowling-funds-sex-abuse-crisis-center-excludes-trans-women |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=The Advocate |date=14 December 2022 |archive-date=25 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325224457/https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2022/12/14/jk-rowling-funds-sex-abuse-crisis-center-excludes-trans-women |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dagelty |first=Susan |date=12 December 2022 |title=JK Rowling opens new sexual violence support service for women in Edinburgh |work=[[The Scotsman]] |url=https://www.scotsman.com/health/jk-rowling-opens-new-sexual-violence-support-service-for-women-in-edinburgh-3950083 |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213182236/https://www.scotsman.com/health/jk-rowling-opens-new-sexual-violence-support-service-for-women-in-edinburgh-3950083 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Wakefield |first=Lily |date=2022-12-12 |title=JK Rowling launches sex abuse support service that excludes trans women |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2022/12/12/jk-rowling-beiras-place-sex-abuse-trans-women/ |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=[[PinkNews]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
The organisation was established in December 2022 by British author and philanthropist J. K. Rowling as its founder and financial backer, with the express goal of providing "women-centred and women-delivered care".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Carrell |first=Severin |date=2022-12-12 |title=JK Rowling launches support centre for female victims of sexual violence |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/dec/12/jk-rowling-launches-support-centre-for-female-victims-of-sexual-violence |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=the Guardian |language=en |archive-date=12 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212165212/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/dec/12/jk-rowling-launches-support-centre-for-female-victims-of-sexual-violence |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=J.K. Rowling Launches A Service To Help Victims Of Sexual Violence |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/j-k-rowling-launches-a-service-to-help-victims-of-sexual-violence-01670869812 |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=www.barrons.com |language=en-US |archive-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214203946/https://www.barrons.com/news/j-k-rowling-launches-a-service-to-help-victims-of-sexual-violence-01670869812 |url-status=live }}</ref> Rowling said the impetus to set up the centre was her fury on hearing that the trans CEO of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, [[Mridul Wadhwa]], had said that victims of sexual abuse must "reframe" their trauma if they disagreed with being treated by a trans woman.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanderson |first=Daniel |date=2022-12-12 |title=JK Rowling says she's rich enough to take the flak as she launches women-only support service |language=en-GB |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/12/jk-rowling-says-rich-enough-take-flak-launches-women-only-support/ |access-date=2023-01-02 |issn= |archive-date=12 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212164223/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/12/jk-rowling-says-rich-enough-take-flak-launches-women-only-support/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":7" /> In a statement provided by the organisation, Beira's Place wrote "we believe that women deserve to have certainty that, in using our services, they will not encounter anyone who is male. Where appropriate, we will refer men or individuals identifying as trans women to other appropriate services."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanderson |first=Ginny |date=13 December 2022 |title=JK Rowling opens Beira's Place, 'woman-only' sexual violence support service in Edinburgh |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/jk-rowling-opens-beiras-place-woman-only-sexual-violence-support-service-in-edinburgh/ar-AA15aL22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214195347/https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/jk-rowling-opens-beiras-place-woman-only-sexual-violence-support-service-in-edinburgh/ar-AA15aL22 |archive-date=14 December 2022 |access-date=14 December 2022 |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |language=en-GB |via=MSN}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
The organisation was named for [[Cailleach|Beira]], the Scottish goddess of winter who represents "female wisdom, power, and regeneration".<ref name="about-us" /><ref name="TimesLaunch">{{Cite news |last=Turner |first=Janice |date=2022-12-12 |title=JK Rowling launches sex abuse centre for women only |language=en |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/jk-rowling-new-service-women-sexual-violence-8k570kdt2 |access-date=2022-12-14 |issn=0140-0460 |archive-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214214217/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jk-rowling-new-service-women-sexual-violence-8k570kdt2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
After the founding of Beira's Place, several public figures and organisations expressed their support for the service, while some criticised its exclusion of transgender people. [[Rape Crisis Scotland]] publicly welcomed the establishment of "any new service" in light of existing services' underfunding and long waiting lists, while emphasizing the importance of serving trans and non-binary people and noting that rape crisis centres in Scotland had done so for years without incident.<ref name=":1" /> [[United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women|UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women]] [[Reem Alsalem]] welcomed the new service, stating "the prevention and response to violence against women requires an all-society approach, so it is great to see different actors who have the means, including private individuals, play their part."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horne |first=Marc |title=Rape Crisis founder backs Rowling's trauma centre |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/rape-crisis-founder-backs-rowlings-trauma-centre-d80bzn60n |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219100811/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rape-crisis-founder-backs-rowlings-trauma-centre-d80bzn60n |archive-date=19 December 2022 |access-date=2022-12-17 |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
In June 2023, Police Scotland announced that they would create a direct referral procedure for assault survivors to Beira's Place, similar to the existing referral process for Rape Crisis Scotland.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wright |first=Mary |date=2024-02-09 |title=Rape victims will be referred to Rowling's women-only centre |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/rape-victims-will-be-referred-to-rowlings-women-only-centre-tcb0vfpg3 |access-date=2024-02-09 |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
== Structure == The group's founding came shortly before a vote on the [[Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill|Gender Recognition Reform]] bill.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Wade |first=Mike |date=13 December 2022 |title=Rape Crisis stands by trans survivors after JK Rowling opens single-sex centre |language= |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/end-discrimination-and-open-up-shelter-rape-charity-tells-rowling-nm6wlxz00 |access-date=2023-01-01 |issn= |archive-date=1 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101224947/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/end-discrimination-and-open-up-shelter-rape-charity-tells-rowling-nm6wlxz00 |url-status=live }}</ref> Single-sex services in Scotland, and whether or not trans people should be included in them, are associated with the bill.<ref name=":5" /> Beira's Place is not a [[registered charity of Scotland]].<ref name=":1" /> As such, it does not accept donations and is funded by Rowling.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2022-12-12 |title=JK Rowling funds women-only rape help centre |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-63943766 |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214144952/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-63943766 |url-status=live }}</ref> Alongside Rowling, the current board members of the organisation are Rhona Hotchkiss (a former prison governor), [[Johann Lamont]], Susan Smith (director of [[For Women Scotland]]), and [[Margaret McCartney]].<ref name=":4" /> All board members have been critical of the Scottish Government's [[Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill|proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=McCool |first=Mary |last2=Gordon |first2=Lorna |date=May 20, 2024 |title=Rape centre worker wins tribunal over gender-critical beliefs |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ee39wn30xo |access-date=2024-10-05 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The founding CEO of the organisation is Isabelle Kerr, formerly manager of [[Rape Crisis Scotland#Local rape crisis centres in Scotland|Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre]], and its deputy CEO is Sue Domminney.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Meighan |first=Craig |title=JK Rowling opens 'women-only' centre for sex abuse survivors in Scotland |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23185690.edinburgh-jk-rowling-opens-women-only-sex-abuse-survivors-centre/ |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=The National |date=12 December 2022 |language=en |archive-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214203944/https://www.thenational.scot/news/23185690.edinburgh-jk-rowling-opens-women-only-sex-abuse-survivors-centre/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="about-us" /> Interviewed on the anniversary of the service's opening, Kerr said that its phone service had helped almost 2,000 people seeking support, and over 250 survivors of violence had used its safe space.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Marion |title=Beira's Place: Thousands helped by JK Rowling rape centre |url=https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/beiras-place-jk-rowling-rape-centre-edinburgh/ |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=The Sunday Post |date=5 December 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=6 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206150704/https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/beiras-place-jk-rowling-rape-centre-edinburgh/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{J. K. Rowling}}
[[Category:2022 establishments in Scotland]] [[Category:Organizations established in 2022]] [[Category:Domestic violence-related organizations]] [[Category:Organisations based in Edinburgh]] [[Category:J. K. Rowling]] [[Category:LGBTQ-related controversies in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Transgender topics in Scotland]] [[Category:Violence against women in Scotland]] [[Category:Women's organisations based in Scotland]]