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Rape crisis centre issues apology to former worker

BBC Roz Adams looking directly at the camera. She has short, light-coloured hair, black glasses and is wearing a black jacket over a light-coloured checked shirt.BBC
A tribunal found Roz Adams was 'constructively dismissed' from her role at Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre

A rape crisis centre has published a formal apology to an ex employee constructively dismissed over her gender-critical views.

Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC) had been ordered by an employment tribunal to publicly say sorry to Roz Adams over her dismissal for believing those accessing services should be able to know the sex of staff.

In a post on its website, the centre said it accepted the tribunal’s findings it “harassed and discriminated against Ms Adams” because of her beliefs.

Ms Adams was awarded £70,000 by the tribunal earlier this month.

ERCC apologised to Ms Adams for alleging that she was transphobic and acknowledged that:

  • ERCC's decision that Ms Adams had misconducted herself was wrong
  • Ms Adams was motivated by a wish to act in the best interests of centre users
  • Nothing Ms Adams did constituted bullying or harassment
  • ERCC had harassed and discriminated against Ms Adams because of her protected gender critical beliefs
Google Outside the ERCC building. It has light-coloured stone.Google
Rape Crisis Scotland launched an investigation into ERCC

A ruling in May said the decision to launch a disciplinary process against Ms Adams was because the centre’s management wanted to “make an example” of her because of her views.

Ms Adams has maintained her belief that those using a rape crisis centre should have a choice over who they receive support from on the basis of sex, and that sex is binary and "everyone is either male or female at that level".

Those beliefs clashed with the views of Mridul Wadhwa, the centre’s chief executive and a trans woman, who has since resigned from the role.

The tribunal also ruled the centre must refer victims of sexual assault to Beira’s Place, where Ms Adams now works.

Beira’s Place is a women’s refuge established by author JK Rowling. It does not hire or provide services to trans women.

ERCC previously sent Ms Adams a letter in September saying it apologised for the stress and discrimination she faced at ERCC.

However, Ms Adams argued this was not satisfactory, as it did not clear her name publicly.

ERCC Mridul Wadhwa looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a dark coloured top and is in front of a dark background. She has a gold earring in her left ear.ERCC
Mridul Wadhwa has since resigned from her position as chief executive of the centre

The tribunal centred on a disciplinary process that began after Ms Adams sought clarity on how to respond to an abuse survivor who wanted to know if a support worker who identified as non-binary was a man or a woman.

Some people who do not consider themselves to have a solely male or female gender identity describe themselves as non-binary.

The tribunal found that the investigation should not have been launched and “was clearly motivated by a strong belief amongst the senior management and some of the claimant’s colleagues that the claimant’s views were inherently hateful".

Allegations of misconduct were upheld, but no action was taken. Ms Adams then chose to resign.

Rape Crisis Scotland has launched an investigation into ERCC.

The judgment said Ms Wadhwa appeared to believe that Ms Adams was transphobic.

It said that Ms Wadhwa was “the invisible hand behind everything that had taken place.”

In his judgement, judge McFatridge said the disciplinary process used against Ms Adams was “reminiscent of the work of Franz Kafka” - the 20th Century writer whose works were often characterised by nightmarish and confusing situations.