A TRANSGENDER woman of Asian origin resigned as head of a rape crisis centre in Edinburgh on Friday after an independent review found failings related to protecting women-only spaces.
Mridul Wadhwa stepped down as the chief executive of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC) following a report commissioned by Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS).
The report concluded that there had been a “failure to protect women-only spaces” and that Wadhwa "did not understand the limits on her role's authority," resulting in "a failure to set professional standards of behaviour."
The review was ordered in May in response to an Employment Tribunal case brought by a former employee of the ERCC, raising concerns about the charity's systems and operations.
"Mridul Wadhwa and the Board have decided that the time is right for a change of leadership at the ERCC," said the Board of Directors in a statement. "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."
In an earlier letter, the Board acknowledged mistakes and issued an apology, admitting that it "got things wrong."
The independent review, conducted by legal expert Vicky Ling, identified several failings, including a "strategy which did not put survivors first," a failure to protect women-only spaces, and poor oversight of systems, procedures, and governance. One of the key recommendations was for ERCC to consult with RCS on the definition of 'woman' in its services and to ensure the protection and clear promotion of women-only spaces.
Rape Crisis Scotland expressed concern that ERCC had not provided dedicated women-only spaces for several months, as required by the National Service Standards.
Author JK Rowling, a vocal advocate for women-only spaces, welcomed Wadhwa’s resignation. “Mridul Wadhwa is gone from Edinburgh Rape Crisis. He should have been fired the moment he said that survivors who wanted a female-only space were bigots who should ‘reframe their trauma’,” Rowling posted on X. She also criticised those who appointed and supported Wadhwa.
Scottish Member of Parliament Sue Webber also commented, emphasising that rape crisis centres should prioritise providing a safe environment for traumatised women. She criticised ERCC for focusing on promoting a "militant gender ideology" instead of supporting staff and victims.
(With inputs from PTI)
