Amnesty International UK has withdrawn a report that listed Beira's Place, the sexual abuse support center founded by J.K. Rowling, among 117 organizations described as belonging to an "anti-rights" movement. The NGO acknowledged that the document had been published without going through its usual fact-checking procedures and apologized after threats of a defamation lawsuit from the organization's lawyers.
Beira's Place placed on a list of 117 organizations
Entitled A Growing Threat: The Anti-Rights Movement in the UKThe report, published online at the beginning of July, described the development in the United Kingdom of an organized movement that, according to the organization, is aimed at advancing the rights of women and LGBT+ people. The document listed 117 associations, media outlets, religious organizations, and activist groups. Beira's Place appeared in the category of structures described as "gender-critical," alongside organizations such as For Women Scotland and the Murray Blackburn Mackenzie think tank. Founded in Edinburgh in 2022 by J.K. Rowling, Beira's Place supports women aged 16 and over who have experienced sexual violence. The center operates in Edinburgh and the Lothians region and presents itself as a safe space exclusively for women.
The exclusively female nature of the center is contested
Beira's Place's inclusion was based in part on its decision to offer support exclusively to women. At its inception, J.K. Rowling explained that she wanted to address the needs of victims seeking support designed and delivered by women after experiencing violence perpetrated by men. Amnesty International more broadly believed that certain organizations advocating a biologically based definition of sex were contributing to the erosion of LGBT+ rights. The report specifically linked this trend to the April 2025 ruling by the UK Supreme Court, which established that the terms "woman" and "sex" used in the Equality Act should be understood as referring to biological sex.
A description deemed "deeply offensive"
The management of Beira's Place immediately denounced its inclusion in the report. Its chief executive, Lesley Johnston, reiterated that the facility had been created to address the lack of a women-only service for women who were victims of male violence.
“It is inexplicable that Beira’s Place was listed as an anti-rights organization in a report published by Amnesty International. This is deeply offensive to the staff who work with survivors every day, as well as to the women who need and use our services.”, she said.
The center's lawyers accused Amnesty International UK of damaging its reputation. They demanded a public apology, the permanent withdrawal of the report, and an external review to determine how such a document could have been published. They also threatened the NGO with defamation proceedings if a satisfactory response was not received.
Amnesty acknowledges a publication without internal validation
In response to protests, Amnesty International UK removed the report from its website. The organization acknowledged that the text had been published without following internal procedures designed to ensure the accuracy of information and its alignment with its official positions.
“We regret that this note was published on our website without going through the established internal procedures to ensure consistency, accuracy and alignment with the positions of Amnesty International UK.”The organization stated that Amnesty International added that the vocabulary used in the document did not reflect its official position. The NGO affirmed its continued commitment to defending the rights of women and transgender people and stated that no community should be subjected to unfair treatment.
JK Rowling offers to fund the proceedings
JK Rowling called the list published by Amnesty a "blacklist". The author of Harry Potter She offered the other targeted organizations financial assistance through the JK Rowling Women's Fund to cover any potential legal costs. She had already reacted strongly to the publication of the document, accusing Amnesty International of dismissing the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people by advocating for spaces based on biological sex. Following the report's withdrawal, she asserted that the affair revealed a long-standing hostility on the part of the UK branch of the NGO towards organizations defending gender rights.
Amnesty International itself appealed to the British regulator
Amnesty International UK has submitted a serious incident report to the Charity Commission, the authority responsible for regulating charities in England and Wales. The commission confirmed it had received several reports as well as the NGO's statement. It is now examining the facts to determine whether regulatory action is necessary. No formal investigation has yet been launched.
