Month: September 2024

ERCC Chief Executive resigns

Rape survivors are no longer being referred to an Edinburgh support service after a review found Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre failed to protect women-only spaces.

The report, which was commissioned by parent body Rape Crisis Scotland, says ERCC’s chief executive officer – a trans woman – failed to behave professionally and did not understand the limits of her authority.

The report also found that Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre had not put survivors first or adhered to national service standards.

Rape Crisis Scotland, Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre’s parent body, issued the following statement in response to the independent review:

‘The independent review of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC) has presented challenging findings, and recommendations for improvements to the organisation, its operations, and how it provides services. It also makes important recommendations for Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS), which we accept and will act on.

‘We are extremely concerned that for around 16 months ERCC did not provide dedicated women only spaces, as required by the National Service Standards, while declaring to RCS that they were adhering to the standards. This is a significant breach.

‘We have asked ERCC to produce an action plan, with clear timescales, to implement the review’s recommendations. We have also requested that ERCC conducts an urgent review of its data protection and safeguarding policies and procedures, and they have confirmed that this work is underway.

In the meantime, we have paused referrals to ERCC. Our helpline workers can discuss alternative support arrangements with survivors in Edinburgh at this time.

‘The needs of survivors should be listened to and respected when they come to any Rape Crisis Centre. It is important that survivors can make informed choices about the services they access at Rape Crisis Centres, and we recognise that for some survivors this includes the choice of a single sex service.

‘We are working with our member Rape Crisis Centres across Scotland to consider what more we need to do to ensure survivors can make informed choices about the support they receive from Rape Crisis Centres, to ensure they are able to access the services they need.

‘All member Rape Crisis Centres are signed up to working within National Service Standards which operate across Scotland, and England and Wales. These standards detail the high quality of service every survivor should expect to receive from a Rape Crisis Centre. Membership of Rape Crisis Scotland is based upon a shared commitment to, and evidencing of, the Rape Crisis National Service Standards.

“Over the next year, we will go through a process of assessment with our member centres to support them to evidence that the National Service Standards are being met across Scotland.”

That response is simply not good enough for some organisations that work with women, however. Women’s rights group FOR WOMEN SCOTLAND issued the following statement:

‘We are saddened – if unsurprised – that Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre has been found wanting in so many respects.

‘The Review Report lays bare the failings which have impacted the most vulnerable women. While Edinburgh RCC, undoubtedly, adopted a particularly extreme and egregious version of gender identity ideology and relentless pursued anyone who dared to question their policy of self ID, similar issues are apparent in other centres in Scotland and in Rape Crisis Scotland itself.

‘Sandy Brindley (Chief Executive of Rape Crisis Scotland – Ed.) has been repeatedly warned by women in the Rape Crisis Network, by survivors, and by women’s rights organisations that self-ID policies were reckless and cruel.

‘Nevertheless, she insisted – including to a group of survivors – that men were women if they claimed a female identity, she vigorously defended Mridul Wadhwa who conducted the heresy hunt in ERCC, and she presided over the introduction of policies which included trans-identified men in women only services.

‘In several Parliamentary appearances, she claimed that these policies did not create any problems in running rape crisis services. That has now been exposed for the lie it always was.

‘We believe that the problems are endemic and structural, and they cannot be resolved simply by rearranging the deckchairs at ERCC. As a matter of priority, Mridul Wadhwa must be removed from post, but those board members who presided over his tenure and defended him at Roz Adams’ tribunal must also go.

‘We also believe that Sandy Brindley’s position is also now untenable. Fortunately, women in the Lothians have an alternative women-only service and we believe that Rape Crisis Scotland should, as a matter of urgency, confirm that Beira’s Place will be able to take on referrals.

‘Beira’s Place should also be involved in restructuring both the local and national services. Only these measures will restore trust in this critical service.

‘Too many women were betrayed and harmed – this must never happen again.’

**** UPDATE ****

It has been announced this morning that ERCC Chief Executive Mridul Wadhwa has stepped down:

Mridul Wadhwa and the Board have decided that the time is right for a change of leadership in at Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC).  

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. 

Board of Directors, Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre

ALBA MSP Ash 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.

“Thank goodness @jkrowling stepped up for Lothian women with the single-sex trauma service @beirasplace in 2022.”

Former Edinburgh MP Joanna Cherry KC said: “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”.