A RAPE support centre in Glasgow has ended its membership with an umbrella charity in a row over gender. 

Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis (GCRC) has announced it is leaving the Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS) network following a "long and careful review" and say it is "not a decision we have taken lightly". 

They said they were created to provide support "by and for women" and believe that single-sex services provided by an all-female workforce is essential to help survivors heal from sexual trauma, but say the approach is "at odds" with RCS'.

They confirmed the services provided will not change and they will continue to support women and girls in the Glasgow and Clyde area who have experienced rape or sexual violence. 

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A spokesperson for the board said: "As part of our review, we engaged in dialogue with the leadership of RCS to address our concerns, and those of GCRC’s management team, regarding the direction and focus of the network under its stewardship.

"After careful consideration, we have concluded that the interests of our organisation, and those that rely on our services, will be best served and represented outwith membership of RCS. 

"As an independent operator, we will continue to work productively and collaboratively with our sister rape crisis centres.

"This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have done so to hold fast to our principles and to best serve the women and girls that need our support.

"We were created to provide support by and for women.

"We believe, and women have consistently told us, that single-sex services delivered by an all-female workforce are crucial to help them heal from sexual trauma.

"This approach remains our priority but is at odds with RCS’."

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Sandy Brindley (Image: Gordon Terris) Annually, GCRC supports 30% of all survivors who receive a service from the Scottish rape crisis network. 

They said while the relationship between the organisation and RCS is changing, they both remain committed to maintaining the current national programmes and services GCRC delivers, including the Scottish Government-funded National Advocacy and National Prevention Projects. 

Our sister title The Herald reported in September that Sandy Brindley, the head of Rape Crisis Scotland, apologised "unreservedly" for failings at a support centre in Edinburgh

She said she found out the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC) was not following national standards in October last year and paused referrals 11 months later when a review said safeguarding was a problem. 

ERCC came under fire when the review found it had failed to provide women-only spaces for 16 months, and laid the blame at the door of its CEO - trans woman Mridul Wadhwa. 

Ms Wadhwa stepped down last month after a damning report by an independent consultant found she failed to behave professionally and the needs of survivors were not prioritised. 

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Mridul Wadhwa (Image: NQ) A spokesperson for RCS said that while all rape crisis centres must provide women only spaces, it is currently up to individual centres to decide how they define that. 

Following the review into ERCC, they said work is underway for RCS to facilitate a shared approach across centres. 

The spokesperson said: "Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis provides crucial services for survivors, and we wish them and their team well.

"Our member centres deliver services in a variety of ways, tailored to the needs of the communities they serve.

"What is fundamental across all Rape Crisis Services is that survivors’ needs are at the centre of their provision.

"All Rape Crisis Centres must provide women only spaces within their service but how they define this is currently for individual centres to decide.

"Rape Crisis Centres can provide single sex spaces within Rape Crisis Scotland – and many do.

"The independent review of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, published last month, recommended that Rape Crisis Scotland facilitate a shared approach across centres.

"This work is underway."

Created in 1976, GCRC is the oldest and largest rape crisis centre in Scotland and serves Glasgow, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire. 

RCS is Scotland's leading organisation working to transform attitudes, improve responses and ultimately end rape and sexual violence in all its forms.