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

[GargoylesofBeelzebub]

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?

''Although rape crisis centres are autonomous, they sign up to the RCS’s national standards, many of which the review found ERCC had failed to meet.''

''RCS said the review had found a “significant breach of its standards” and was “pausing” the referral of any new clients to ERCC until it implements the recommendations of the review.''

''Women only spaces are a required national standard yet they were not available from October 2022 until at least February 2024, when ERCC knew it was facing a tribunal and would be under scrutiny.''

Watching with interest.

You wouldn't think so wouldn't you? But MW seems so immune to criticism no matter how damning

They may have to resign having being driven out by evil transphobes or some other nonsense
Should never have bloody been there in the first place

Nvm, got confused. Been awake since 3am 😕

The report - on the Rape Crisis Scotland website:

ERCC National Service Standards Report

Thanks. I was trying to find it to post here too.

'The review was heavily critical of Wadhwa, who self identifies as a woman but does not have a gender recognition certificate and is legally a man.
It found her be a domineering as 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.
She was portrayed as incompetent, overseeing an organisation with systemic failures and a chaotic approach in key areas such as financial transparency, training and safeguarding for staff and clients.'

It does have a bearing on Sarah's case, I would say. An admission by the body that oversees rape crisis centres saying that woman-only is a national standard. Rape Crisis Scotland, but still helpful to Sarah.

I can't read the article (don't want to subscribe) but would a kind poster give her opinion: does it sound as if when RCS say "women-only", it actually means that? I know the criticism would make no sense if they didn't mean women-only, but, well, you know...

''Women only spaces are a required national standard yet they were not available from October 2022 until at least February 2024, when ERCC knew it was facing a tribunal and would be under scrutiny.''

And this is where TWAW has wrecked our ability to talk about policies such as this.

To any normal sane person women only spaces would mean biological females only. To those with brains rotted by gender ideology they would include transwomen in women only spaces.

Thanks very much for posting the full report.

The review was heavily critical of Wadhwa, who self identifies as a woman but does not have a gender recognition certificate and is legally a man.

It found her be a domineering as 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.

She was portrayed as incompetent, overseeing an organisation with systemic failures and a chaotic approach in key areas such as financial transparency, training and safeguarding for staff and clients.

Wadhwa was placed on leave from June this year, a month after she was blamed by the employment tribunal for being the “invisible hand” in the victimisation of Ms Adams for her gender critical views.

Placed on leave. I assume pending this reports publication.

I wonder where that leaves any claims for unfair dismissal though.... Apart from in the bin.

Their clients can be as young as 12 years old, and were forced to ask for same sex care.

Its beggars belief that some people really can't see why rape victims need a place that doesn't have a penis in the vicinity, even if it's dressed up as a woman 😡

Pretty damning. I'd hope they would terminate MWs employment but we will see.

How could it be unfair dismissal? An independent review used the word incompetent to describe Mridul's performance.

From the report:

There was evidence that the actions of some ERCC staff had caused damage to some survivors.The survivor whose email appeared in the tribunal judgment had been traumatised by the CEO’s interview on the Guilty Feminist podcast.

In July 2024, another woman contacted the reviewer and asked to speak about her experience. She had been in contact with ERCC and wanted to be clear that support would be provided by someone who was biologically female. The gender identity/gender affirmative approach she felt was adopted by Rape Crisis Scotland and ERCC did not provide such assurance. She said she was aware that women were excluding themselves from approaching Rape Crisis Centres including ERCC because of this.

The reviewer was also made aware in confidence that some professionals had heard through their professional networks that some survivors did not feel safe using the centre.

Neither of the women who spoke to the reviewer had used ERCC’s services personally but they had come into contact with ERCC staff online or at a meeting.

That's my point.

Placed on leave. Not sacked cos they didn't want to risk a legal case. Now this.

It closes pretty much any legal recourse that might otherwise have been open.

Ah sorry Red. I misunderstood your meaning.

Crumbs that’s surprisingly damning. Other rape crisis centres in Scotland should take note. I’m certain ERCC won’t be the only one.

Beside the point I know but there are so many typos in that article. You’d think the Daily Mail would have proof-readers to skim articles before publication.

It makes me weep that this is where we are, in 2024.

Core standards as detailed in the report

The 2024 version of the NSS has five quality standards:

Standard 0: Specialist Service Provision
Rape Crisis specialist services are independent, community-based services, which
work from a trauma-informed, gendered analysis and empowerment perspective to provide confidential specialist services to survivors of sexual violence.

Standard 1: Strong Leadership
Rape Crisis specialist services have strong leadership and governance that ensures
^services are survivor-centred and delivered to the highest quality. There are robust strategic plans and frameworks in place to ensure that organisations are safe, sustainable and values driven. Strong leadership should also be evident in the way
that intersectional feminist values operate in centres, driving anti-oppressive practices, to the benefit of survivors, staff and volunteers.^

Standard 2: Responsive to Survivors
Rape Crisis specialist services are responsive to the diverse needs of survivors and
actively working towards ensuring that services are relevant, accessible and survivor led.

Standard 3: Safe Practice
Rape Crisis specialist services seek to expand the safety and wellbeing of all
survivors (as well as staff and volunteers) and work within safe, trauma-informed models of practice that facilitate this.

Standard 4: Lasting Impact
Rape Crisis specialist services are dedicated to ending sexual violence and abuse,
driving the impact and effectiveness of services, and fostering lasting change.

Someone asked upthread about these standards in relation to pending legal cases. The repetition of 'survivor-led' together with comments about accessable and catering for diverse needs is probably highly relevant here. You can't just turn around and apply TWAW as an idea in that. It's inappropriate and isn't survivor led.

'We are extremely concerned that for around 16 months ERCC did not provide dedicated women only spaces, as required by the National Service Standards, while declaring to RCS that they were adhering to the standards. This is a significant breach.'

From RCS statement

https://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/news/news/our-statement-on-the-edinburgh-rape-crisis-national-service-standards-report/

The article clearly states that MW is a male, self IDs himself as a woman and does NOT have the magical piece of paper that changes his legal status.

So why the fuck are they using "she" for a "he"?

I'm sick of this crap.

'The needs of survivors should be listened to and respected when they come to any Rape Crisis Centre. It is important that survivors can make informed choices about the services they access at Rape Crisis Centres, and we recognise that for some survivors this includes the choice of a single sex service. We are working with our member Rape Crisis Centres across Scotland to consider what more we need to do to ensure survivors can make informed choices about the support they receive from Rape Crisis Centres, to ensure they are able to access the services they need.'

I coudl fucking weep.