JK Rowling's rape support centre labelled 'anti-rights group' by Amnesty

It has been listed alongside a number of “gender-critical organisations”, including the campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS).

Amnesty said an “organised anti-rights movement targeting the rights of women and LGBT+ people” is growing in the UK.

Beira's Place was founded by JK Rowling in Edinburgh in 2022 to provide a women-only support service for victims of sexual violence.

Speaking at the time, the Harry Potter author said the facility would address an "unmet need".

Rape Crisis Scotland said support should also be available to transgender and non-binary people.

Amnesty’s new report on the “anti-rights movement in the UK” argues there has been a significant decline in protections for LGBT+ rights.

“Key factors contributing to this decline include the failure to reform the legal gender recognition framework, the absence of a ban on conversion practices, the treatment of LGBT+ asylum seekers, and the implications of the Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Minister[s],” it adds.

The latter refers to the landmark court ruling last year that a woman is defined by biological sex under equality law.

Last month, FWS also won a legal battle with the Scottish government over its policy of allowing trans prisoners to be placed in jails not aligned with their biological sex.

The Court of Session ruled the prison guidance was “unlawful” and in conflict with the requirement for accommodation to be provided separately for men and women.

READ MORE: SNP ministers lose court battle over trans prisoners in female jails

Amnesty previously released a study of 65 “anti-rights groups” in the UK, and the new report updates this to include gender-critical organisations.

It defines anti-rights actors as “formal and informal groups, individuals, private and state actors whose aim is to restrict human rights by undermining human rights protections in law and practice”.

It adds: “Some of these groups describe themselves as ‘anti-gender’ because they visibly oppose the rights and equality of women and LGBT+ people. However, by targeting women and LGBT+ people, they also challenge a fundamental human rights principle: that human rights belong to everyone equally.

“Human rights are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. When the rights of one group are restricted, protections for others can also be weakened, even where the effects are not immediately visible.”

Beira's Place declined to comment.

In a statement, FWS said: “For Women Scotland is only ‘anti-rights’ if you don't consider women to be entitled to any rights in law or public life.

“It's a sad state of affairs that Amnesty has sunk so low as to defame prominent women's organisations, including a rape crisis centre and support networks for abused wives and children. We won a landmark case on women's rights at the Supreme Court where Amnesty intervened with their best legal arguments against us.

“That the judges were unpersuaded should have given Amnesty pause for thought - instead they have chosen to launch an ill-advised attack, and one that surely risks attracting the attention of the Charity Commission.”

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “It is astonishing that Amnesty International has chosen to brand organisations defending women’s rights and supporting female survivors of sexual violence as ‘anti-rights’.”