Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre boss Mridul Wadhwa resigns as 'behaviour' failings exposed in report

The chief executive of an Edinburgh centre tasked with supporting victims of sexual violence has resigned in the wake of a damning report, as critics demanded an “entire change of ethos” to win back the trust of women.

Mridul Wadhwa - a trans woman - has stood down from the helm of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC) after the sweeping review concluded she “did not understand the limits of her authority”. It was also found Ms Wadhwa, who was appointed to the role in 2021, had failed to “behave professionally”.

The report was commissioned by Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS), the lead national organisation in Scotland working to support survivors and end sexual violence.

A statement issued by the ERCC board said it was the “time was right for a change of leadership” as the body stressed it was implementing recommendations from the review.

The statement said: "Mridul has stood down from her role as CEO of ERCC. Recruitment of a new CEO will happen in due course.

"We are committed to delivering excellence while taking on board the recommendations from the independent review to ensure we place survivors voices at the heart of our strategy.

"We are in daily communication with Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS), have met their urgent demands, and are currently implementing the recommendations in the report. We will continue to work alongside RCS to ensure our services not only meet but exceed the National Service Standards."

The Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre on Caremont Crescent | Google Maps

The decision comes after a review of the services provided by the centre found its strategy did not “put survivors first” and failed to protect women-only spaces. 

The review was launched after an employment tribunal concluded Roz Adams, a former ERCC employee, had been unfairly dismissed from her role after expressing gender-critical views.

In a statement following the publication of the report, Rape Crisis Scotland described ERCC’s failure to provide women-only spaces as “a significant breach” of the national service standards that all rape crisis centres have to follow. It said it had paused referrals to the centre.

The charity’s statement said: “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. We have asked ERCC to produce an action plan, with clear timescales, to implement the review’s recommendations.

Scottish Conservative Lothian MSP Sue Webber described the announcement of Ms Wadhwa’s resignation as “long overdue”.

“By definition, rape crisis centres should offer a safe haven for traumatised women,” she said. “Yet, instead of focusing on providing that, ERCC has been more concerned with imposing its own militant gender ideology on both staff and distressed victims.”

Ms Webber added: “While the ERCC board have been forced, by the independent review, to accept that a change of leadership is necessary, the perfunctory apology in their statement suggests they still don’t grasp the magnitude of the offence and upset they have caused,” she said.

“Rape Crisis Scotland and the Scottish Government must demand an entire change of ethos at ERCC – rather than merely personnel – if they are to regain the trust of women.”