Unacceptable that survivors were let down by Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, says Scottish minister

It is “totally unacceptable” that survivors of sexual assault were let down at the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC), the Scottish Government’s equalities minister has said.

Kaukab Stewart faced questions from opposition MSPs on whether there should be further resignations after the service’s chief executive stepped down at the weekend.

A review found ERCC’s chief executive, Mridul Wadhwa, had failed to protect women-only spaces and set professional standards of behaviour.

The charity Rape Crisis Scotland said the failure to provide women-only spaces was “a significant breach” of the national service standards that all centres must adhere to.

The independent review was triggered after an employment tribunal found former ERCC employee Roz Adams had been constructively dismissed over her “gender-critical beliefs”.

Sue Webber said the report was ‘scathing’. PA Media

The tribunal heard it appeared that Wadhwa – a trans woman – had formed the view that Adams was transphobic, which led to a “completely spurious and mishandled” disciplinary process.

The review was raised at Holyrood on Tuesday, with Stewart saying she hoped the ERCC could rebuild confidence.

The minister said: “The needs and safety of survivors of rape and sexual assault must be the utmost priority of support services.

“It is totally unacceptable, as the report makes clear, that survivors were let down by a core failure of ERCC to deliver services to NSS standards.”

She said the centre intends to implement all the report’s recommendations.

Conservative MSP Sue Webber said the ERCC and Rape Crisis Scotland relied on Scottish Government funding.

She accused the Government of dismissing those with gender-critical beliefs – an attitude she said had “filtered down” to charities supported by public money.

Webber said the review from Vicky Ling had been “scathing” and asked if the chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland should still be in post.

Stewart said the Scottish Government would not comment on the employment processes of individual organisations.