Amnesty International has apologised after describing a rape support centre associated with JK Rowling as “anti-rights” in a report. The dispute matters because it concerns how organisations frame women’s services and contested debates over sex, gender identity and access to single-sex support.

The charity acknowledged that its wording was inappropriate and issued an apology to the centre. The report had apparently characterised the service negatively because of its position on transgender rights, prompting criticism from Rowling and others who argued that it supports female survivors of sexual violence.