Glasgow rape centre breaks ties with Rape Crisis Scotland amid gender row

A rape crisis centre in Glasgow has announced it is ending its association with the charity’s network amid an ongoing row over gender.

Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis (GCRC) said its priority was to provide “single-sex services delivered by an all-female workforce”, which puts it “at odds” with Rape Crisis Scotland’s priorities.

A spokeswoman for the GCRC board said the decision came after talks with leaders at Rape Crisis Scotland about “concerns” it had about the “direction and focus” of the organisation overall.

The full statement read: “As part of our review, we engaged in dialogue with the leadership of RCS to address our concerns, and those of GCRC’s management team, regarding the direction and focus of the network under its stewardship.

“After careful consideration, we have concluded that the interests of our organisation, and those that rely on our services, will be best served and represented outwith membership of RCS. As an independent operator, we will continue to work productively and collaboratively with our sister rape crisis centres.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have done so to hold fast to our principles and to best serve the women and girls that need our support.

“We were created to provide support by and for women. We believe, and women have consistently told us, that single-sex services delivered by an all-female workforce are crucial to help them heal from sexual trauma. This approach remains our priority but is at odds with RCS.”

The latest controversy comes in the wake of a report criticising Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre’s failure to provide women-only spaces as “a significant breach” of the national standards all rape crisis centres have to follow.

Mridul Wadhwa, a trans woman, resigned as chief executive of the Edinburgh centre following the report.

A Rape Crisis Scotland spokesperson said: “Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis provides crucial services for survivors, and we wish them and their team well.

“Our member centres deliver services in a variety of ways, tailored to the needs of the communities they serve. What is fundamental across all Rape Crisis Services is that survivors’ needs are at the centre of their provision.

“All Rape Crisis Centres must provide women-only spaces within their service, but how they define this is currently for individual centres to decide.

“Rape Crisis Centres can provide single sex spaces within Rape Crisis Scotland – and many do. The independent review of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, published last month, recommended that Rape Crisis Scotland facilitate a shared approach across centres. This work is underway.”

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton MSP said: “Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis deserve every credit for taking this principled stance.

“It is just common sense that rape crisis centres across Scotland should be a safe haven for women but shamefully that has not been the case.

“The culture that became embedded within Rape Crisis Scotland was fostered by the SNP and meant that traumatised women have been repeatedly let down.

“Those running the organisation were more interested in imposing its militant ideological views upon staff and victims, rather than doing the right thing and supporting them.

“Even within the network of rape crisis centres, there is no confidence in the organisation’s leadership, who are totally disconnected from the concerns of women and girls.

“This decision will rightly be applauded and should be the catalyst for an urgent change in the culture within Rape Crisis Scotland. Only then will there be any possibility of them ever regaining the trust of women and girls.”