A charity boss has refused to quit despite apologising ‘unreservedly’ to rape victims who were failed by a controversial support centre led by a trans woman.
The Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre was the subject of a damning review published last week which found it had failed to provide women-only spaces.
The independent report found that its boss – trans woman Mridul Wadhwa – had not acted professionally or understood the limits of her authority.
Sandy Brindley, of Rape Crisis Scotland, the umbrella body for rape crisis centres, who once backed Ms Wadhwa as an ‘amazing sister’, has come under pressure to quit – but yesterday refuse to step down.
She said: ‘I would unreservedly apologise to any survivor who has either been let down by Edinburgh… or who didn’t feel able to access the service at Edinburgh.
Sandy Brindley, chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, refuses to step down amid controversy around its Edinburgh centre
‘I would also apologise if we haven’t been clear enough at Rape Crisis Scotland that our absolute priority is making sure that every survivor who needs a rape crisis service will get the service they need.’
In an interview, Ms Brindley said she found out the Edinburgh centre was not following national standards last October and paused referrals 11 months later when the review said safeguarding was a problem.
She told BBC Scotland’s Drivetime programme there was no reason why transgender people could not work in rape support centres – but that services must also provide women-only spaces.
Ms Wadhwa stood down after the review was published last week, sparking a row which led to JK Rowling calling for the SNP Government to ‘withhold’ funding from Rape Crisis Scotland.
Ms Brindley stressed that Rape Crisis Scotland, which is the national charity setting service standards for member centres, had no involvement in hiring Ms Wadhwa.
But she said there had been no reason not to agree with the appointment at the time, as Ms Wadhwa had significant experience of working in the sector.
Ms Brindley said: ‘I was not involved in that appointment or that decision.
‘But what I would say is that most rape crisis centres in Scotland provide support to men, women, trans people, and non-binary people.
‘There is no inherent reason within that, that you could not have a trans person working within a rape crisis centre.
‘I think what is crucial, however, is that if you do have a rape crisis service, that it is supporting all survivors is that there’s dedicated women-only spaces within that.’
Ms Brindley said she recognised that women-only spaces were a priority for many women using rape support services.
She added there had been significant failures in Edinburgh and she hoped to ensure that national standards are followed and that women-only spaces are provided in future.
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with Mridul Wadhwa, chief executive of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, who quit amid a damning review into the centre
Earlier this week, Tory MSP Sue Webber called for Ms Brindley to stand down, saying she had ‘championed the very policies that have been the centre of this entire caustic situation’.
But yesterday Ms Brindley said she would not quit, adding: ‘I started at 21 as a volunteer on a helpline and I turned 50 in January – I really believe in this movement.
‘We have achieved so much working with survivors, working with staff, working with volunteers.
‘I think there’s still a lot to do and as long as I feel I can contribute to that, and make a difference for survivors, I will be staying.’
Earlier this week, a Rape Crisis Scotland spokesman said: ‘We apologise unreservedly to anyone who has been affected, directly or indirectly, by the failures of procedure at the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre and, having acted immediately upon the publication of the report, we are committed to ensuring all crisis centres adhere to the National Service Standards.’
Yesterday Ms Brindley said the controversy had led to rape survivors who supported the charity experiencing abuse online, including being told that they must be lying about being raped.
She said: ‘It is absolutely astonishing to me that this is the position we’re in where rape survivors can be treated in this way in the name of women’s rights, supposedly.
‘I think the onus is on me as chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, and on the rape crisis movement, to try and move to a place where Rape Crisis is not being weaponised in the way it has.’
She stressed that rape survivors could rely on the charity and that it would meet their needs.
Earlier this week, equalities minister Kaukab Stewart said employment processes and decisions were the responsibility of individual organisations, not the Scottish Government.
