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Original poster

Surely Mridul Wadhwa has to go now? Report into ERCC out.

736 replies

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 12/09/2024 12:12

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13842189/Edinburgh-Crisis-Centre-designed-protect-women-suffered-sexual-violence-condemned-failing-damning-report.html

Pretty scathing. Wadhwa cannot stay surely?

OP posts:
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lechiffre55 · 13/09/2024 16:12

The Student asked Wadhwa if she believes a man could be a successful rape crisis centre manager. She does not: “I don’t think men are ready to go out and set up services of this nature. Women’s aid organisations and rape crisis centres have been set up with the blood, sweat, and tears of women. It’s about the women’s experience of sexual violence. Our workforce is reserved for women only.”'

This is the validation craving, but self applied.
"Men no, me yes, therefore I am not a man."
"See if I was a man, I wouldn't be in this job because it's for women."
My grrr is not subsiding.

"I don’t think men are ready to go out and set up services of this nature."
Did Wadwah play any part in setting up the centre? Or is he stealing that too?

Ramblingnamechanger · 13/09/2024 16:11

Covered( sort of) on Woman’s Hour today. Woman interviewed spoke very carefully using them as MWs pronouns while Anita Rani blithely carried on calling him she, after all this.

Silkinside · 13/09/2024 16:10

And thats the biggest travisty. No one stepped in and did anything about it. They all cheerled him on

This is it. He rose to where he is because of a whole culture in Scotland, which found leadership and political capital in the SNP and NS, that supported the misogyny of gender ideology.

ArabellaScott · 13/09/2024 16:04

'looking in your pants'. Who frames a conversation relating to rape survivors with language like that?

DARVO and projection.

Also this from the Student interview:

'Most importantly, rape crisis centres are spaces for those affected by sexual violence, most of whom are women. The Student asked Wadhwa if she believes a man could be a successful rape crisis centre manager. She does not: “I don’t think men are ready to go out and set up services of this nature. Women’s aid organisations and rape crisis centres have been set up with the blood, sweat, and tears of women. It’s about the women’s experience of sexual violence. Our workforce is reserved for women only.”'

Original poster
GargoylesofBeelzebub · 13/09/2024 16:02

ArabellaScott · 13/09/2024 14:43

https://x.com/sarahstuartxx/status/1297442651235647488/photo/2

Lying by ommission. Does he think that makes it any better?

OP posts:
lechiffre55 · 13/09/2024 15:45

RedToothBrush · 13/09/2024 11:56

Lets do a summary of Wadhwa sexism:

  • Applied for a job advertised only for women under exemptions in the EA
  • Only told them he was trans once he got the job.
  • Two months into the job did an interview say:
Sexual violence happens to bigoted people as well… If you bring unacceptable beliefs that are discriminatory in nature [into the centre], we will begin to work with you on your journey of recovery from trauma. But please also expect to be challenged on your prejudices… If you have to reframe your trauma, I think it is important as part of that reframing… you also have to rethink your relationship with prejudice. Otherwise, you can’t really, in my view, recover from trauma, and I think that’s a very important message that I am often discussing with my colleagues… Because, you know, to me, therapy is political.

By his own admission, he made therapy as a political tool to enforce adherence of women to his ideology. This was deliberate. He was deliberately targetting vulnerable rape victims to spread his political agenda. Two months in. Thats why he wanted the job.

  • Has no qualifications to do counselling yet insisted on taking such sessions. This would not be consistent with safeguarding.
  • Didn't forfill other basic legal safeguarding requirements such as making sure the data protection policy mentioned the current law - it hadn't been updated for SEVEN years. Safeguarding training more generally wasn't up to date.
  • Instead he allowed allowed male non-binary and trans individuals to access the service without thought: One had a history of predatory behaviour for eight years. He was convicted of physically attacking two women; perpetrating domestic abuse against a man, whom he’d blackmailed into having sex over several months, by threatening to falsely accuse the victim of rape if he didn’t submit. The judge presiding over his trial observed that this individual had shown “hostility towards women, lack of concern for others, sexual preoccupation, and deviant sexual preferences.”
  • Fostered a culture and made it known publicly that anyone applying for a job who was gender critical would not be welcome.
  • Did not even ensure that there was a Employee Handbook so that workers could uphold their own rights and obligations to themselves and to clients.
  • Fostered a culture of work where questioning sex v gender was not acceptable, leading to the work tribunal involving Roz Adams which found in favour of Roz citing harassment and unlawful discrimination.
  • Used the displinary process against Adams as a show trial to other members of staff by assuming her to be guilty from “the outset” to “make an example of because of her gender critical beliefs" humilating her in the process.
  • The court found in the case of a 60 year old woman asking for female only services “she was advised that ERCC [was] trans inclusive,” and when she said she was uneasy about seeing someone who was not biologically female, “she was advised that she was not suitable… and excluded from the service".
  • According to court documents, Wadhwa refused to refer clients to Beira’s Place or even mention its existence.
  • Refused to take the stand in court, instead forcing very junior staff to do so instead and defend the workplace culture that he had created. The employment tribunal made the point about saying the Wadhwa was the invisible hand behind everything
  • This report by Rape Crisis Scotland found that he was chief executive who “who did not understand the limits on her role’s authority” and it said Wadhwa “failed to set professional standards of behaviour” within the organisation. Repeatedly he did not keep Trustees in the loop and failed to share appropriate information with them.
  • Put his political agenda ahead of women, failing to centre women: decisions regarding Self ID were made unilaterally and were not refered to the board as they should have been. Women were only mentioned once in strategy document which also used dubious language which both inappropriate and to rised boundary issues.
  • Wadhwa personal conduct was found to be directly responsible for women self excluding and being harmed.
  • Got onto a women's only shortlist to become an SNP MSP
  • Then quit the SNP when it backed a law allowing rape victims to ensure that their medical examinations would be conducted by someone of the same sex
  • Tried numerous times to smear, slur and shame women. Regarding Beira's place he said:
“This new organisation has been founded on a platform of exclusion, misinformation and what I would describe as white feminist imperialism, that interesting combination of the flaws of white feminism and the white saviourism of colonialists and of course capitalism of which the founder is a beneficiary,” And when numerous Scottish women opposed the controversial Gender Recognition (Scotland) Bill in 2022, Wadhwa claimed they were all “exposing themselves as being on the right, and being very comfortable with fascists and those who would want to eliminate anybody who is not cisgendered [i.e. not trans-identified] and white in our society.”
  • All these actions have exposed the ERCC to a huge financial and reputational hit. At the expense of women. He has created a situation where they have lost funding and now will have to make redunacies. Meaning they are not able to help as many vulnerable women.
  • Wadhwa refused to accept any responsibility for this, and instead some what belligerently remained in the job, rather than recognising that a change in culture had to happen and that was unlikely to be possible with someone who had been identified as domineering and overstepping their remit remaining in post.
  • Even after the employment tribunal Wadhwa failed to implement Trustee requests. This eventually resulted in Wadhwa going on paid leave. Whilst a redunacy consultation was ongoing.
  • It has taken until this point for Wadhwa to leave the job. Even then it hasn't been due to removal. Throughout Wadhwa has been supported by people who have enabled all of the above without regard for women. To the point that Wadhwa STILL is listed as being a victim.

Never at a single point of this, has Wadhwa put the interests of raped women first. NOT ONCE. And thats why I use male pronouns. I do not owe this man respect.

And thats the biggest travisty. No one stepped in and did anything about it. They all cheerled him on.

Show quote history

I wanted this post to be on this page and every page. Very good summary @RedToothBrush

I am both so relieved he's finally fukking out of a place he should never have been in the first place, but also angry this happened at all, and how long it took for it to be resolved. I was about to say women somtimes get treated as such second class citizens, but in this case I don't think women even get elevated that high, more like objects to be used. Much grrrr...

Ereshkigalangcleg · 13/09/2024 14:52

And a Mumsnetter said on one of the threads that she'd had one of these session with MW who was just scrolling through MW's phone looking bored the entire time while she spoke.

ArabellaScott · 13/09/2024 14:45

https://archive.ph/x5Qv5

How to use survivors to 'help you stay connected to the cause' while also 'keeping it fun'. (my emphasis):

“I think the biggest myth [of sexual violence] is ‘stranger danger,’” Wadhwa commented. “All messages are usually about being safe when you’re outside – and yes there is a minor risk for women to experience sexual assault from strangers – but the reality is that most of the time it comes from someone they know, including their acquaintance. The other myth is that your body may react in a physical way to sexual violence including an orgasm but that does not mean that it’s not rape because that’s a physical response. You can’t control how your body responds to violence.”

The work is incredibly emotionally draining, so Wadhwa has to be balanced and mindful of her own emotional state. The Student asked her what she does to take care of herself: “Well I don’t deal with individual survivors every day, so for me what I do in terms of self-care is a lot of avoidance. I do see survivors – four a week usually – who help me stay connected to the cause…but it’s important to keep it fun. We should be able to laugh and use humour at work. In terms of my team, I try to cook for them once a week or every other week.”

ArabellaScott · 13/09/2024 14:39

Fox Fisher: 'Is there a personal reason for getting into this line of work?'

Mridul Wadhwa: 'Staying on has been personal because it was pretty clear to me that I was the only trans woman, in the women's aid movement.
And I wasn't even sure that if I had been hired, if they had known that I was trans.
When I came out individually to various colleagues, there was this disbelief: 'Oh, you can't be trans'.

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AmaryllisNightAndDay · 13/09/2024 14:31

highame · 13/09/2024 14:19

I imagine all the publicity this has generated and the legal implications will mean that MW will not be offered a position in women's services of any kind, again. I am also now very hopeful that KS who is 'very legalistic' whatever that means will be watching local authorities and their behaviour. "They have ignored the law KS and you know you don't like that".

I hope very much that Beira's place get's stacks of funding. That would be great because we know that JKR would not kowtow in the event of a Local Authority telling her to include men. That would be one to watch

And it's not just JKR. You only have to look at the directors and senior management - a roll-call of successful tough professional women with decades of relevant expertise and experience. Not well meaning kids in their twenties fresh out of university.

https://beirasplace.org.uk/about/

I don't see those women kowtowing to anyone. Not even to JKR.

eatfigs · 13/09/2024 14:21

Is there a source for the asking rape victims if they'd orgasmed accusation? It sounds unbelievable to be honest. Surely they'd have kicked him out already if he'd done that.

highame · 13/09/2024 14:19

I imagine all the publicity this has generated and the legal implications will mean that MW will not be offered a position in women's services of any kind, again. I am also now very hopeful that KS who is 'very legalistic' whatever that means will be watching local authorities and their behaviour. "They have ignored the law KS and you know you don't like that".

I hope very much that Beira's place get's stacks of funding. That would be great because we know that JKR would not kowtow in the event of a Local Authority telling her to include men. That would be one to watch

Ereshkigalangcleg · 13/09/2024 13:48

Sorry @MaidOfAle

Ereshkigalangcleg · 13/09/2024 13:48

Yes, exactly @maltravers

MaidOfAle · 13/09/2024 13:46

maltravers · 13/09/2024 12:15

is this also the guy with apparent interest into whether women orgasmed during rape. Not at all inappropriate and creepy, oh no!

Show quote history

A trained, female counsellor saying that sometimes women orgasm during rape because of physical stimulation to the clitoris, that this doesn't make it consensual and doesn't make it the victim's fault can be helpful.

But RW is male, not a counsellor, and by the sounds of things wanted to know if victims had been forced to orgasm. 🤮

popeydokey · 13/09/2024 13:42

Refused to take the stand in court, instead forcing very junior staff to do so instead and defend the workplace culture that he had created. The employment tribunal made the point about saying the Wadhwa was the invisible hand behind everything

Wadhwa absolutely knew he would be found out if he had to answer any question whatsoever. I think this on top of everything proves none of this is 'ideological' or a results of a set of strongly held beliefs. It was deliberate and lots of people had MR clocked from the beginning.

nauticant · 13/09/2024 13:36

I did notice the mispelling but it's something they've done a number of times in the past and I don't think it caused many (if any) misdirected replies.

WarriorN · 13/09/2024 13:27

is this also the guy with apparent interest into whether women orgasmed during rape. Not at all inappropriate and creepy, oh no!

My god.,

Ereshkigalangcleg · 13/09/2024 13:12

The replies aren't best pleased.

@nauticant did you notice that there's a typo (accidentally I'm sure!) in Anita Rani's Twitter handle in the BBC's tweet?

The Chief Executive of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre has stepped down.

It follows an independent review which found the centre failed to protect women-only spaces.

@bbclornag joins @itanitarani to tell us more.

It should be @itsanitarani

Lalgarh · 13/09/2024 13:11

guinnessguzzler · 13/09/2024 13:05

Well 'running' may be a bit of a stretch - listed and seeking funding, definitely.

Pretty sure I saw a senior Green Party job advertised the other day so nothing would surprise me.

Show quote history

The words "incompetence" were used about Wadhwa running that centre. Maybe there might be a bit of financial misconduct in that too?

Or is accounting standards maybe a bit triggering

ArabellaScott · 13/09/2024 13:09

One can assume that the word 'ostensibly' precedes any description of Wadhwa's roles.

guinnessguzzler · 13/09/2024 13:05

ArabellaScott · 13/09/2024 12:56

Vahanomy has been running for years.

Well 'running' may be a bit of a stretch - listed and seeking funding, definitely.

Pretty sure I saw a senior Green Party job advertised the other day so nothing would surprise me.

ArabellaScott · 13/09/2024 13:02

Wadhwa has also been director for years, or with his husband/partner has run the company. All while managing the ERCC.