JK Rowling says it is time for workplaces to protect gender critical beliefs after tribunal finds trans rape centre boss carried out 'Kafkaesque' witch hunt against female worker
JK Rowling has said it is time for workplaces to protect gender criticial beliefs after a tribunal found a rape centre boss conducted a 'Kafkaesque' witch hunt against a female worker.
She said she hopes the ruling will 'bring about much-needed change' and accused employers of not doing enough to protect those who do not believe in gender identities, saying they should be afforded the same protection as what she termed 'gender idealogues'.
It came after Roz Adams, 52, who was a member of staff at Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, was forced to resign after being harassed and discriminated against in a 'heresy hunt' led by the centre's trans CEO, a tribunal judge concluded.
Ms Adams told the tribunal that she had at first welcomed its trans-inclusionary policies, believing that all victims of sexual assault are 'entitled to support', but became concerned when advocating for a victim who only wanted to talk to a female member of staff.
Rowling - who has repeatedly denied accusations of transphobia - took to X, formerly Twitter, to support Adams and described the verdict as 'utterly damning', adding that Ms Adams' case felt 'dystopian'.
![Roz Adams, 52, who was a member of staff at Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, was harassed and discriminated against according to a tribunal judge](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/20/10/85093303-13437863-image-a-4_1716197960446.jpg)
Roz Adams, 52, who was a member of staff at Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, was harassed and discriminated against according to a tribunal judge
![The centre's CEO, Mridul Wadhwa, is reported to have told a university event that the 'best way' to encourage staff to support trans inclusion was to 'fire them'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/20/10/85093299-13437863-image-a-5_1716197979667.jpg)
The centre's CEO, Mridul Wadhwa, is reported to have told a university event that the 'best way' to encourage staff to support trans inclusion was to 'fire them'
According to the judgment, Ms Adams voiced concern over the 'mantra' that trans women are women.
Ms Adams reportedly found the lack of a 'definition or clarification' around the phrase 'odd', before beginning her employment and finding 'issues regarding the way that gender issues were dealt with'.
Matters came to a head after Ms Adams spoke to another colleague about a rape victim who had said she would feel 'uncomfortable talking to a man' about her experiences.
Another member of staff is then said to have copied in the the centre's CEO, Mridul Wadhwa, and Ms Adams found herself at the centre of an internal investigation.
Ms Wadhwa, who is transgender, was directly identified by judge Ian McFatridge as being a key figure in the investigation, which he said 'should not have been launched in the first place.'
In a series of posts on X, Rowling, who has become a deeply criticised figure for her online statements about transgender people, said: 'While I'm happy for Roz, I find it disheartening that we're relying on the bravery of individuals (mostly women) standing up to unlawful harassment and discrimination to expose the harms gender identity ideology is doing to the rights and protections of women and girls.
'It's time for employers to protect those holding gender critical beliefs in the same way that gender ideologues have been protected. Hopefully today's judgement will bring about much-needed change, both for survivors of sexual violence and for employees across Scotland.
'But it would be nice, for once, to see the Scottish government speaking up for the women who've been subject to unlawful discrimination for defending their sex-based rights, and to hear the government condemn, rather than side with, those conducting the witch hunts.'
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/20/16/85106743-13439053-image-a-42_1716217444284.jpg)
![Ms Wadhwa, who is transgender, was directly identified by judge Ian McFatridge as being a key figure in the investigation, which he said 'should not have been launched in the first place'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/20/16/85108127-13439053-image-a-43_1716217451676.jpg)
Ms Wadhwa, who is transgender, was directly identified by judge Ian McFatridge as being a key figure in the investigation, which he said 'should not have been launched in the first place'
In the ruling, Judge McFatridge wrote: 'In the view of the tribunal, we are entitled to infer from all of the evidence that the reason the disciplinary investigation was commenced and the claimant interviewed was because the respondent wished to make an example of the claimant because of her gender critical beliefs.
'It appeared to be the view of the respondent's senior management that the claimant was guilty of a heresy in that she did not fully subscribe to the gender ideology which they did and which they wished to promote in the organisation. This was an act of harassment on the basis of her belief.'
It added: 'We would agree with the characterisation of the claimant's representative that this was a heresy hunt.'
The judge also said the investigation 'was clearly motivated by a strong belief among senior management and some of the claimant's colleagues that the claimant's views were inherently hateful' and was 'unfortunately a classic of its kind, somewhat reminiscent of the work of Franz Kafka'.
The tribunal said that Ms Adams felt she had no alternative but to resign, which she did in spring 2023, and upheld her claim of unfair constructive dismissal.
Judge McFatridge said it was 'clear' Ms Wadhwa was involved in the investigation and was responsible for contacting the parties who dealt with the 'various stages of the disciplinary and grievance process'.
The tribunal also heard evidence that Wadwha had previously told a university event that the 'best way' to encourage staff to support trans inclusion was to 'fire them'.
Last night, Ms Adams said: 'This is a victory for all people who have been subjected to sexual violence who need a choice of worker and group support on the basis of sex in order to feel safe.
'For me it validates and makes worthwhile three years of struggle.'
Ms Adams will now be in line for a payout, but the amount has not yet been agreed.
The ERCC's board of directors said they were 'saddened' by the outcome of the tribunal and will now take time to reflect on the written judgement.
They said: 'We strive to provide a safe accessible and inclusive service and are committed to improving continuously.
'We are fully supportive of Rape Crisis Scotland's commissioning of an independent review of ERCC practice.
'This will help ensure our practices and procedures meet the highest standards as set out in the Rape Crisis national service standards, and that survivors receive the exceptional quality of support they deserve.
'We want to reassure all survivors who are currently accessing our services and anyone seeking support that we are still here for you, and you matter to us. Our services remain unaffected by these events.'
Rape Crisis Scotland said that an independent review into the practices and procedures at the autonomous Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre has been commissioned.