Mridul Wadhwa - Male CEO of Edinburgh Rape Crisis

well, fortunately i have not been in the position of needing to go to these type of centres.
but i can imagine that if i did, and was directed there, and told:
all the support workers are women, it is a totally safe space.
so i start talking to a woman, describing being abused by a man, very upset and muddled in my head.
then i glance at the worker a few times and they move to open the window and the form i discern looks like the outline of a male rather than a female.
how would i feel; as if i am going mad, imagining things.
then later i happen to read these news articles, and realise that yes, the person i spoke to in fact has the body of a man but identifies as a woman.
i would feel very upset, confused, angry, and that there is nowhere i can go and be sure i am speaking to a female-bodied person. so i go nowhere. become a recluse. give up.

Whenever a woman disagrees with a man we get insults, sneers and patronising messages about how we ought to feel, act, think, talk. No man, no matter how he's dressed, or what he calls himself, can ever understand, counsel or identify how a woman feels when she has been violated by a man. It's always women who are told that they need to change their expectations, beliefs and needs to accommodate men. So when a distressed, sexually violated woman turns to a rape crisis centre for help and support, and she is confronted with a man dressed as a woman, it's her that's told to "reframe her trauma" when the very presence of a male causes her greater distress.
There's one thing for sure; Mridul Wadhwa has lost none of their male arrogance and sense of entitlement. Women are being told to make more, and greater concessions towards men; single sex spaces, safe spaces, all to be sacrificed on the alter of what men demand.

Maybe it would be beter if a Rape victim could be counselled by a female who has gone through a similar experience?

I was raped when a teen and I didn't want to talk to anyone about it.
But I do remember the fear of being pregnant from the rape. something else the trans woman will have no experience of.
No man can ever identify with the feeling of being invaded, powerless and abused.

I once asked a Trans person "what is a woman" and got no reply.

I also asked if they would like a third space - answer "No" they want women's spaces.

Is this another sign of official Scotland going woker than woke?

Seems like an astonishing appointment, not to mention blatant discrimination in the favour of a small minority. Can anyone possibly believe that no suitably qualified 100% biological woman could be found?

The Centre is now looking to make further appointments of transgender women to vacant posts at the centre. Their applications will be “especially welcome”.

The transgender agenda has overtaken the original purpose of the Centre, which is to support women who have been raped.
That has become secondary to promotion of transgender issues.

Under Wadhwa’s leadership it simply isn’t a Rape Crisis Centre any more, but as she says, a centre with a political agenda.

It is no longer fit for purpose.

Will anyone set up an alternative centre that is fit for purpose, I wonder?

It is very sad, as quite apart from the reduction in provision for women who have been raped, this sort of thing does nothing to further the cause of transwomen who are looking for acceptance.

You just have to weep for poor abused women.
This is really awful and almost the worst part is that this organisation doesn't seem to see what is wrong with it all. I'm and

So true Chewbacca
An amazing post.
Yes - Aveline, it’s just so bloody obvious.
Like I said initially, it’s like some sick, twisted joke

There are a number of organisations that are fundraising to establish women only refuges, it is utterly depressing that women have to rebuild what they have created.

I picked up on the reframe your trauma too
It is absolutely disgusting

Chewbacca

Whenever a woman disagrees with a man we get insults, sneers and patronising messages about how we ought to feel, act, think, talk. No man, no matter how he's dressed, or what he calls himself, can ever understand, counsel or identify how a woman feels when she has been violated by a man. It's always women who are told that they need to change their expectations, beliefs and needs to accommodate men. So when a distressed, sexually violated woman turns to a rape crisis centre for help and support, and she is confronted with a man dressed as a woman, it's her that's told to "reframe her trauma" when the very presence of a male causes her greater distress.
There's one thing for sure; Mridul Wadhwa has lost none of their male arrogance and sense of entitlement. Women are being told to make more, and greater concessions towards men; single sex spaces, safe spaces, all to be sacrificed on the alter of what men demand.

Excellent post, Chewbacca

Yes, Aveline and others with any sensitivity of women's needs, it makes me want to weep too.

Women and girls are being marginalised by a tiny minority in so many areas by those who have an aggressive agenda.

trisher

She has along and succesful history of working in the field of women and violence. I would imagine if she had actually upset or in any way dealt badly with women having counselling she would at some point have been reported and disciplined. It seems to me that a lot of people on here are posting because of their personal opinions about transwomen-particularly the OP which misgenders her quite deliberately. Those people should ask themselves if their prejudice should prevent someone being appointed who has the experience and skills to do the job.
As for the remark, what I believe she is saying is that women surviving violence have to live in the real world where they will encounter all sorts of people and their counselling should make them able to do that and confront their fears and prejudices.

Stating that an adult human male is a man is not an opinion, it is a fact. Just as it is fact that Mridhul lied to obtain the job he has now and, in common with many “trans” men, expresses deeply misogynistic opinions.

Women have sex based rights whether he likes it or not. Unfortunately, many people in positions of influence and power have been brainwashed and are too scared to stand up for what they know is right, having seen what others have had to endure from so-called trans activists.

No-one is saying that a man, who chooses to live as if he were a woman, who is subject to a violent and/or sexual attack should not receive counselling. What is wrong is for Mridhul to say that a woman who has been attacked by a man should not have the right to receive counselling in an all female setting.

The vast majority of violence and sexual attacks are perpetrated by men. Women are not the problem here.
Anyone, male or female, who expresses views about female victims of sexual violence as Mridhul has, does not have the skills to be a successful or effective leader in a rape crisis centre.

It needs to be looked at how abusers work and operate in positions of power before all women's safe spaces are repurposed

How is this centre funded?
This is not up-to-date:

www.ercc.scot/about-us/our-funders/

The blog is very interesting on that site.

MWG’s statement comes across as extremely arrogant and high handed. Judgemental in the extreme and bringing extra complications to a distressing situation.
A victim of rape needs immediate succour, not a lesson on bigotry. This CEO certainly has an agenda and it appears not to be to look to the needs of the victim first and foremost.
Whilst we all (I hope) accept that all men are not rapists, I would not like to be trying to get my head around the fact my counsellor had been born male whilst being counselled in the aftermath of a traumatic experience.

BeverleyJB

trisher

She has along and succesful history of working in the field of women and violence. I would imagine if she had actually upset or in any way dealt badly with women having counselling she would at some point have been reported and disciplined. It seems to me that a lot of people on here are posting because of their personal opinions about transwomen-particularly the OP which misgenders her quite deliberately. Those people should ask themselves if their prejudice should prevent someone being appointed who has the experience and skills to do the job.
As for the remark, what I believe she is saying is that women surviving violence have to live in the real world where they will encounter all sorts of people and their counselling should make them able to do that and confront their fears and prejudices.

Stating that an adult human male is a man is not an opinion, it is a fact. Just as it is fact that Mridhul lied to obtain the job he has now and, in common with many “trans” men, expresses deeply misogynistic opinions.

Women have sex based rights whether he likes it or not. Unfortunately, many people in positions of influence and power have been brainwashed and are too scared to stand up for what they know is right, having seen what others have had to endure from so-called trans activists.

No-one is saying that a man, who chooses to live as if he were a woman, who is subject to a violent and/or sexual attack should not receive counselling. What is wrong is for Mridhul to say that a woman who has been attacked by a man should not have the right to receive counselling in an all female setting.

The vast majority of violence and sexual attacks are perpetrated by men. Women are not the problem here.
Anyone, male or female, who expresses views about female victims of sexual violence as Mridhul has, does not have the skills to be a successful or effective leader in a rape crisis centre.

She didn't actually say " a woman who has been attacked by a man should not have the right to receive counselling in an all female setting."
She said that one of the processes in counselling may be that you have to face your own prejudices in order to succesfully leave the trauma behind you.
You know the sort of prejudice that leads you to use the pronoun "he" when her pronoun of choice is "she". She is a transwomen who has been raped so I would imagine she knows much more about pain and violence than some of the posters on this thread.
She obviously has more respect and consideration for others than most of them.

The group Women and Girls Scotland has been trying to establish which centres can provide female-only help for sexual violence survivors.

"When RCS and SWA refer to ‘women-only’ services, this includes transwomen – both organisations have been very clear on this – therefore this does not mean ‘female-only’. So when survivors and survivor-led organisations such as ours contact organisations and services for women who have suffered sexual violence, and ask if female-only support can be offered, to respond by saying you offer women-only support is not only a refusal to answer our question, but it functions as abuse in our opinion, because it is an attempt to manipulate and obscure in regard to an expressed trauma-based need of a vulnerable woman/on behalf of vulnerable women, and in such a way that could also lead to devastating consequences and trauma. We are using strong language here because we have to be clear, accurate and unequivocal – it is absolutely unacceptable to do this, it causes a great deal of harm, and it has to stop. One of the issues survivors have raised with not just us, but with your national level organisations directly, is that they are afraid of being gaslit in this kind of way when asking for female-only support, or deliberately misled in a way that results in being retraumatised. Thus responses like this create barriers for women, and that is at the very least."

wgscotland.org.uk/

I’m a rape survivor. I live in Edinburgh. I stand by Mridul and I’m disgusted by the pathetic trolling and abuse thrown at her and Rape Crisis.

Then presumably MW will be be able to face their own prejudice over those who believe you cant change sex. Then they will be able to leave the trauma of misgendering behind them.

*I would imagine she knows much more about pain and violence than some of the posters on this thread.
She obviously has more respect and consideration for others than most of them.*

This is very rude, presumptuous and disrespectful of your fellow posters, trisher, so no change there.

How can you possibly know what life experiences other posters have had? You jump to the conclusion, time after time, that you are gifted with an insight denied to the rest of us, and that somehow your life has given you experiences that ours have not.

I sincerely hope that people on this thread have not been raped, but sadly the law of averages would suggest that this will not be the case, and others will have suffered pain and violence in other ways.

How dare you brush aside people's experiences like that, and draw conclusions about their ability to empathise with others based on no evidence whatsoever? I know you said 'some posters', but that's really not enough to reduce the offensiveness of your comment.

There are times when I honestly don't know how you get away with some of your posts.

Judging from the outpouring of anger and outrage, from women, up and down the country, you appear to be in the minority with your support of his appointment AmberSpyglass.

* Doodledog*- did you not notice the word "some" in my post.
The "most" I abide by. A transwomen who has been raped is being misgendered and misrepresented on this thread- so very little respect and virtually no consideration.
I appreciate you are not doing this but read the thread some of these posts are awful. If she was a cis woman you'd be up in arms about them, but transwomen apparently can be abused to any degree.