Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre Explained

Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre
Abbreviation:ERCC
Formation:1978
Type:Charity
Purpose:Support for survivors of sexual violence
Location:Edinburgh, Scotland
Region Served:Edinburgh, East and Midlothian

Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC) is a Scottish charity established in 1978, providing free support to survivors of sexual violence. The centre serves people residing in Edinburgh, East Lothian, and Midlothian who are at least 12 years old.[1] The ERCC is part of the network of 17 member centres under Rape Crisis Scotland.

Organizational structure

The centre is led by a CEO and governed by a board of directors. As a part of Rape Crisis Scotland, ERCC is bound by the Rape Crisis National Service Standards.

History

The Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre was established in 1978 as part of the expanding network of Rape Crisis Centres in Scotland. Mridul Wadhwa has served as the organization's CEO since May 2021,[2] when she moved from the Forth Valley Rape Crisis Centre.[3]

Wadhwa's appointment was protested by gender-critical people because she is a transgender woman.[4] ERCC's trans-inclusionary policy led to J. K. Rowling establishing Beira's Place, a support and counselling service for women who are survivors of sexual violence in Edinburgh[5] which does not employ or serve transgender women.[6]

In a 2021 interview on the Guilty Feminist podcast, Wadhwa said that ERCC would serve survivors with "unacceptable beliefs", including racism and transphobia, but that they should "expect to be challenged" on those beliefs.[7] Wadhwa's comments were criticized, including by For Women Scotland,[8] and Rowling stated that the comments inspired her to create Beira's Place. Wadhwa said her words were taken out context.[9] [10] [11] [12]

In 2021, following abuse to staff on social media and in phone calls, the centre closed its doors temporarily and re-opened after additional security measure were taken.[13]

In 2024, the United Kingdom saw multiple employment tribunal cases over views on transgender people, and ERCC had one constructive dismissal claim in January.[14] This claim, by Roz Adams, was successful. In May 2024, an employment tribunal gave a decision in favour of Adams, who was constructively dismissed by Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre because of her 'gender-critical' beliefs. The employment judge said that Mridul Wadhwa, the chief executive of the Centre, had been involved in the disciplinary process, and referred to her as being behind a 'heresy hunt' against Adams. Compensation for Adams was to be determined at a later hearing. According to The Times, two members of the board resigned after the judgment.[15]

In September 2024, Rape Crisis Scotland paused referrals to Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre after a review into practices and procedures found it had not adhered to national standards.[16] On 13 September 2024 it was announced that Wadhwa had resigned. The review commissioned by Rape Crisis Scotland found that she "did not understand the limits on her role's authority, when to refer decisions to trustees and failed to set professional standards of behaviour". The review also found that the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre had not protected women-only spaces and had not put survivors first. Among the failures cited was not clarifying the birth sex of every staff member, and requiring survivors to request if they wanted to be seen by a cisgender staff member specifically.[17] [18] [19]

In November 2024, the tribunal ruled that ERCC must pay Adams £68,989.71 as compensation for discrimination, constructive dismissal, and emotional pain and suffering. ERCC was also ordered to make a public apology to Adams on its website, and to refer sexual assault survivors to Beira's Place.[20] [21]

Services

ERCC offers a range of services including:

References

  1. Web site: Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre . 2024-01-26 . Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre . en-GB.
  2. Web site: Carrell . Severin . December 12, 2022 . JK Rowling launches support centre for female victims of sexual violence . January 26, 2024 . .
  3. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/trans-rape-boss-resign-mridul-wadhwa-2mqxshwq3
  4. Web site: Harding . Nick . 2021-05-19 . Protests over trans woman heading rape crisis centre . 2024-01-26 . The Times.
  5. Web site: Meighan . Craig . Edinburgh: J K Rowling opens ‘women-only’ sex survivors centre. 12 December 2022 . thenational.scot . The National . 27 May 2024.
  6. Web site: Wakefield . Lily . 2022-12-12 . JK Rowling launches sex abuse support service that excludes trans women . 2024-01-22 . .
  7. Creating Our Own World with Kemah Bob and Mridul Wadhwa . The Guilty Feminist . 26 October 2022 . 26 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221026153630/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/265-creating-our-own-world-with-kemah-bob-and-mridul-wadhwa/id1068940771?i=1000530743789/ . live .
  8. Web site: Gordon . Tom . Outcry over plan to educate 'bigoted' rape survivors about trans rights . The Herald Scotland . 12 August 2021 . 26 October 2022 . 26 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221026201645/https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19509343.outcry-plan-educate-bigoted-rape-survivors-trans-rights/ . live .
  9. News: Sanderson . Daniel . 12 December 2022 . JK Rowling says she's rich enough to take the flak as she launches women-only support service . en-GB . . 2 January 2023 . 12 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221212164223/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/12/jk-rowling-says-rich-enough-take-flak-launches-women-only-support/ . live .
  10. Web site: Meighan . Craig . JK Rowling opens 'women-only' centre for sex abuse survivors in Scotland . 12 December 2022 . The National . en . 5 February 2023 . 14 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221214203944/https://www.thenational.scot/news/23185690.edinburgh-jk-rowling-opens-women-only-sex-abuse-survivors-centre/ . live .
  11. Web site: JK Rowling launches new women-only sexual abuse support centre . 12 December 2022 . 14 December 2022 . LBC . Gina . Davidson . en . 14 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221214203946/https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/jk-rowling-launches-new-women-only-sexual-abuse-support-centre/ . live .
  12. Web site: wadhwa . mridul . Statement . edinburghrapecrisis . 12 August 2021 . ERCC . 24 March 2023 . 12 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230312181252/https://edinburghrapecrisis.wixsite.com/ercc/post/statement . live .
  13. Web site: Meighan . Craig . Edinburgh: J K Rowling opens ‘women-only’ sex survivors centre. 12 December 2022 . thenational.scot . The National . 27 May 2024.
  14. News: Siddique . Haroon . 'A politically toxic issue': the legal battles over gender-critical beliefs . 29 January 2024 . The Guardian . 19 January 2024.
  15. Web site: Wade . Mike . JK Rowling slams 'witch-hunts' after rape crisis centre worker's victory. 20 May 2024 . thetimes.com . The Times . 27 May 2024.
  16. Web site: 2024-09-12 . Edinburgh rape crisis centre failed to protect women-only spaces . 2024-09-12 . BBC News . en-GB.
  17. Web site: McCool and Gordon . Rape crisis centre failed to protect women-only spaces. 12 September 2024 . bbc.co.uk . BBC . 13 September 2024.
  18. Web site: 13 September 2024 . Rape crisis centre CEO stands down after report into failings . 13 September 2024 . bbc.co.uk . BBC.
  19. Web site: Hansford . Amelia . 2024-09-13 . Trans boss of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre quits after review into services . 2024-09-13 . PinkNews .
  20. Web site: Ferguson . Donna . Woman unfairly dismissed over gender-critical views to get £69,000 payout. 6 November 2024 . theguardian.com . Guardian . 7 November 2024.
  21. Web site: Rape crisis worker unlawfully dismissed to get £70k. 6 November 2024 . bbc.co.uk . BBC . 7 November 2024.

External links

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