Cross-party calls for action over Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre row

There have been cross-party calls for action and answers after the CEO of a Scottish rape crisis centre quit after a damning review.

Mridul Wadhwa, a trans woman, resigned from Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC) after a review found the city service failed to protect women-only spaces.

The probe, carried out by an independent consultant for Rape Crisis Scotland, said Wadhwa "did not understand the limits" of the authority of the CEO role and "failed to set professional standards of behaviour".

And it recorded "extreme" concerns that women-only services had not been provided for a 16-month period.

The government-funded centre's strategy "did not put survivors first", the review said, and Rape Crisis has announced a pause on new referrals.

The investigation was ordered after an employment tribunal found a counsellor who raised concerns about service provision had been unfairly dismissed.

Roz Adams said women using the centre should be able to know the sex of the staff working with them to avoid survivors of violence being further traumatised or turning away from ERCC.

The tribunal heard that Wadhwa appeared to believe Adams held transphobic views.

But the review found "that the actions of some ERCC staff had caused damage to some survivors". This includes comments made by Wadhwa on a podcast.

In a statement, today, ERCC, which has admitted it "got things wrong" and offered reassurance to service users, confirmed Wadhwa has now resigned.

However, voices from across Scottish politics have called for further action and answers, with the Alba Party's Ash Regan – a former community safety minister – seeking a parliamentary statement on the matter.

Regan said: "The Minister for Equalities must now report to parliament on what steps will be taken to ensure those at the government-funded Rape Crisis Scotland, who presided over the unlawful introduction of males within their single-sex service, are accountable for their part in this damaging dereliction of duty to service users."

Sue Webber, Conservative MSP for the Lothian region, said: "This announcement is long overdue because it has been apparent for some time that ERCC was not fit for purpose under Mridul Wadhwa’s leadership.

"By definition, rape crisis centres should offer a safe haven for traumatised women. Yet, instead of focusing on providing that, ERCC has been more concerned with imposing its own militant gender ideology on both staff and distressed victims.

"It’s not just callous but obscene that rape victims should be deemed transphobic for requesting a protected single-sex space by the very organisation that’s meant to provide support at a time of acute distress.

"While the ERCC board have been forced, by the independent review, to accept that a change of leadership is necessary, the perfunctory apology in their statement suggests they still don’t grasp the magnitude of the offence and upset they have caused.

"Rape Crisis Scotland and the Scottish Government must demand an entire change of ethos at ERCC – rather than merely personnel – if they are to regain the trust of women."

Joanna Cherry, who was until recently the SNP MP for Edinburgh South West, commented: "I’m glad to hear that Mridul Wadwa is no longer the CEO of Rape Crisis Edinburgh but the appalling culture over which this man who identifies as a woman presided goes much deeper. This should not be an end of the matter Others need to consider their position."

ERCC said: "Mridul has stood down from her role as CEO of ERCC. Recruitment of a new CEO will happen in due course.

"We are committed to delivering excellence while taking on board the recommendations from the independent review to ensure we place survivors voices at the heart of our strategy.

"We are in daily communication with Rape Crisis Scotland, have met their urgent demands, and are currently implementing the recommendations in the report.

"We will continue to work alongside RCS to ensure our services not only meet but exceed the National Service Standards."