New CEO of Edinburgh Rape Crisis

Jean Hatchet Twitter thread:

Am in a meeting with Mridul Wadwha. Already want to scream at the things being said by organisers

And finally I spoke to Glinner about my own experience, I mentioned it on page 19 of this thread, I often share his article "The Fox In The Henhouse" and contacted him when I was angry about Wadha calling rape victims bigots on the Guilty feminist podcast.

I cannot believe Wadha has been able to keep the job.

When they say this scandal has not stopped anyone receiving counseling, this is not true.

grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/why-one-victim-of-rape-will-not-be

And Jo Bartosch's interview with a trauma survivor:

thecritic.co.uk/reframe-your-trauma/

I'm adding some articles to this thread, including Legal Feminist's analysis:

legalfeminist.org.uk/2021/09/12/fostering-good-relations/

Is this person still in post? Why?

It is sickening an actual rape crisis organisation would employ someone who has no formal qualifications and it says a lot that this alone isn't a concern to them. They deserve to be roasted for putting vulnerable women at risk. I suppose they're working largely with people without the resources to turn around and sue them if Mridul does any damage.

Is there a organisation we can contact or consult about the fact that Mridul delivers/has delivered counselling in a professional setting when they have no formal qualifications? Particularly counselling to rape and sexual abuse survivors. Her husband also got her to provide counselling to his employees in his workplaces - total conflict of interest

It’s all sickening and disgusting when you join the dots and follow the money. The cronyism, the back room dealings, the lack of a back bone when it comes to the press and many politicians, the misogyny and hypocrisy of many is truly shocking It’s war on the rights of women and children in Scotland and that’s not me being melodramatic.

The survivors at ERCC are furious - Mridul didn’t ask or inform any of them before going and touting the book they’d written, ‘Rising Free’, in the tackiest way online on The Guilty Feminist.

They’re crowdfunding to sue on copyright grounds. Any advice appreciated.

If anyone wants more details then dm me - I’ve joined MN today after years of lurking bc this has got my goat.

[quote R0wantrees]'Mridul Wadhwa, SACRO and the £1.4 million contract
Shocking new developments in the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Scandal'

by JL

Wadwha's "partner was, until a few months ago, the director of a company which hoovered up the lucrative million pound contracts when these women’s services were cut off from public funding because of their female-only policies."
grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/mridrul-wadha-sacro-and-the-14-million[/quote]
I felt sick to my stomach reading that.

The Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999
Margaret Hodge Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Education and Employment
25th March 1999
(extract)
"Exceptions for genuine occupational qualifications
4.—(1) After section 7 of the 1975 Act (exception where sex is a genuine occupational qualification) there shall be inserted the following sections—

““Corresponding exception relating to gender reassignment.”
7A.—(1) In their application to discrimination falling within section 2A, subsections (1) and (2) of section 6 do not make unlawful an employer’s treatment of another person if—

(a)in relation to the employment in question—
(i)being a man is a genuine occupational qualification for the job, or
(ii)being a woman is a genuine occupational qualification for the job, and
(b)the employer can show that the treatment is reasonable in view of the circumstances described in the relevant paragraph of section 7(2) and any other relevant circumstances. (continues)

Regulation 4 inserts new sections 7A and 7B into the 1975 Act. Section 7A disapplies section 6(1) and (2) of the 1975 Act in certain circumstances. It is not unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of gender reassignment where a person’s sex is a genuine occupational qualification for that job and the employer can show that his treatment of the person is reasonable in view of section 7(2) or any other relevant circumstances. Section 7B disapplies section 6(1)(a) and (c) and section 6(2)(a) and (b) in specific circumstances where sex is a genuine occupational qualification. These circumstances are supplementary to those set out in section 7(2) of the 1975 Act. Regulation 4 also makes provision for similar amendments with respect to genuine occupational qualifications in section 9 and section 11 of the 1975 Act (discrimination against contract workers and those in partnerships with others).

(2) Subject to subsection (3), there is a supplementary genuine occupational qualification for a job only if—

(a)the job involves the holder of the job being liable to be called upon to perform intimate physical searches pursuant to statutory powers;
(b)the job is likely to involve the holder of the job doing his work, or living, in a private home and needs to be held otherwise than by a person who is undergoing or has undergone gender reassignment, because objection might reasonably be taken to allowing to such a person—
(i)the degree of physical or social contact with a person living in the home, or
(ii)the knowledge of intimate details of such a person’s life,which is likely, because of the nature or circumstances of the job or of the home, to be allowed to, or available to, the holder of the job;
(c)the nature or location of the establishment makes it impracticable for the holder of the job to live elsewhere than in premises provided by the employer, and—
(i)the only such premises which are available for persons holding that kind of job are such that reasonable objection could be taken, for the purpose of preserving decency and privacy, to the holder of the job sharing accommodation and facilities with either sex whilst undergoing gender reassignment, and
(ii)it is not reasonable to expect the employer either to equip those premises with suitable accommodation or to make alternative arrangements; or
(d)the holder of the job provides vulnerable individuals with personal services promoting their welfare, or similar personal services, and in the reasonable view of the employer those services cannot be effectively provided by a person whilst that person is undergoing gender reassignment. (continues)
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/1102/made

Apologies FOJN, you made exactly the same point!

I believe the gender reassignment General Occupation Provision in recruitment

There is no such thing. It is single sex.

Please let this be the the house of cards falling... more sunlight, more pushing by all of us.

I believe the gender reassignment General Occupation Provision in recruitment is discriminatory to transsexual people especially trans women. I genuinely believe that there is no space for it in the gender based violence sector and that it has no place in violence against women work. I was unaware of its existence until a few weeks ago.

Any sane person would consider this admission of ignorance about single sex provision in the EA as evidence of incompetence but MW gets promoted.

Karen Davis video was interesting. I agree the use of the word 'power' was very telling indeed.
Seems like this person gets a kick out of lording it over people.

H/t KD via JL's article comments

21 August 2015
Written evidence submitted by Mridul Wadhwa to the Transgender Equality Inquiry
(extracts)
"I work for Rape Crisis Scotland as a Training and Volunteer Co-ordinator and as the Information and Education Officer for Shakti Women’s Aid.

I am also an associate of the College of Policing, England and Wales where I present on transgender and migrant women’s issues on the Equality and Human Rights course and am a domestic abuse trainer on the college of policing’s Domestic Abuse matters training program.

I also co-wrote and co-facilitated the Scottish Government’s training on forced marriage.

I have been involved in the violence against women sector in Scotland since 2005. I moved to Scotland from India in 2004.

I have consulted with the Scottish Transgender Alliance in making this submission and endorse all the issues and recommendations made by the Scottish Transgender Alliance

I believe the gender reassignment General Occupation Provision in recruitment is discriminatory to transsexual people especially trans women. I genuinely believe that there is no space for it in the gender based violence sector and that it has no place in violence against women work. I was unaware of its existence until a few weeks ago. I
have worked in the violence against women sector since 2005 and have never known for it to be used. I am disappointed to think that someone has the right to refuse work to me and others like me in my sector just because they think that I might not be a woman. When I started working in this sector, I was not out as a trans person, this was not out of fear of discrimination but more because I did not think it was necessary.

In Scotland, all fund recipients from the Scottish Government’s Violence against women funds are expected to implement a trans inclusion policy as a requirement of the grant. I would welcome similar mandatory requirements of all public, private and third sector grant recipients and contractors receiving funding to carry out work with those affected by sexual violence and other forms of gender based violence.

I migrated from India as a student and then an economic migrant. I was able to do so post transition and did not suffer significant life harming discrimination due to my trans status. This is only because of privileges that I had through my social background, a supportive
family and my own resilience to challenge the structural and social barriers that exist for trans people in India. I have an Indian passport that says female, am married and am about to adopt a child in Scotland."
data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/women-and-equalities-committee/transgender-equality/written/19653.pdf

Equality Act 2010
Exceptions allowing services to be provided only to women (or only to men)

The first two relevant exceptions (Schedule 3, Paragraphs 26 and 27) allow service providers to provide separate services for men and women, or to provide services to only men or only women in certain circumstances. The symmetrical nature of the ban on sex discrimination means without these exceptions it would be illegal, for example, to hold women-only sessions at a leisure centre or a new fathers’ support group at a nursery.

Exception allowing single sex services to discriminate because of gender re-assignment

The third exception (Schedule 3, paragraph 28) allows providers of separate or single-sex services to provide a different service to, or to exclude, someone who has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment. This includes those who have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), as well as someone who does not have a GRC but otherwise meets the definition under the Equality Act 2010.

Application of this exception must be objectively justified as a means of achieving a legitimate aim. An example given in the explanatory notes to the Act is that of a group counselling service for female victims of sexual assault where the organisers could exclude a woman with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment if they judge that clients would be unlikely to attend the session if she was there."
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmwomeq/1470/147010.htm

Mridul Wadwha

"When I started working in this sector, I was not out as a trans person, this was not out of fear of discrimination but more because I did not think it was necessary."

All linked in Scotland power money

No doubt there is considerable money to be made on the SNP/Green Party eco gravy train by those well-connected?

Vahanomy
From website
(extracts)
"Vahanomy provides services for the approaching disruptive ecosystem that is forming around electric vehicles, IoT based smart city solutions, and autonomous vehicles. As the industry and technologies mature, we aim to provide services that help democratise and accelerate adoption.

Consulting Services
Do you need support to develop your strategy for Smart Cities and the coming disruption in transportation through Transportation as a Service (TaaS) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS). We work with small cities to assess your needs and suggest solutions to optimise resources and get you future ready.

Our Team
Arun Gopinath – Managing Director
He is a Director of the Scottish charity, SACRO and has been Secretary of the Scottish Alliance of Regional Equality Councils (SAREC) and also headed the non-profit equality and human rights charities Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC) and Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC). He has previously served on the board of Port of Leith HA.
Arun is passionate about human rights, equality, anti-discrimination, and the environment. He actively campaigns for better support for victims of hate crimes, improved reporting and recording of hate crimes, gender equality, and accessible public transport.

Srinivas Rao – Director
Srinivas is a Virginia, US based entrepreneur who is an angel investor in disruptive technologies, backing people with innovative ideas. Srinivas is an engineer and has worked within the financial, insurance, telecom sectors and on US Federal Government projects.

Mridul Wadhwa – Director"
www.vahanomy.com/consulting-services.html

All linked in Scotland power money

Thanks rowan

'Mridul Wadhwa, SACRO and the £1.4 million contract
Shocking new developments in the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Scandal'

by JL

Wadwha's "partner was, until a few months ago, the director of a company which hoovered up the lucrative million pound contracts when these women’s services were cut off from public funding because of their female-only policies."
grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/mridrul-wadha-sacro-and-the-14-million

Herald
'Scottish Greens defend rape centre boss Mridul Wadhwa in 'bigoted' survivors row'

By Tom Gordon
(extract)
"THE Scottish Greens have defended the head of a rape crisis centre who said “bigoted” survivors should have their “unacceptable beliefs” challenged as part of their recovery.

MSP Maggie Chapman said misinformation was being spread about the services which was “based on ignorance, bigotry and hatred”, made staff “targets for violence” and hurt “survivors most of all”.(continues)

However the statement failed to mention that Ms Chapman is currently listed at Companies House as being the secretary of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre.

Nor does it mention that until June 30 she was its chief operating officer - effectively Wadhwa's deputy - although this is declared in her register of MSP interests.

In her statement, Ms Chapman merely said that she had worked in "a" rape crisis centre, but did not say that it was Edinburgh or that Wadhwa was her old boss.

The Greens' equalities and social justice spokesperson, Ms Chapman said: “The Scottish Greens stand in solidarity with Rape Crisis Scotland, Edinburgh Rape Crisis, survivors of gender-based violence, Mridul Wadhwa, and trans people across Scotland. (continues)

In her register of MSP interests, filed on June 8, Ms Chapman said: "I am the Chief Operating Officer of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, a charitable organisation supporting survivors of sexual violence.

"I receive between £25,001 and £30,000 per annum. I spend 28 hours per week in the role but have submitted my resignation and will be in post until 30 June 2021." (continues)

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19511699.scottish-greens-defend-rape-centre-boss-mridul-wadhwa-bigoted-survivors-row/