Adams v Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre [2023] ETS 4102236/2023

In brief

Roz Adams, a rape crisis worker at Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, was subjected to investigation and disciplinary action after raising concerns about the centre's policy of accepting trans women (including those without a GRC) as service users and as potential counsellors for female survivors. The Employment Tribunal found the centre had conducted a 'heresy hunt' against Adams for her gender-critical beliefs, constituting direct discrimination and harassment. The case highlighted the tension between trans inclusion in sensitive services and the concerns of staff and service users about single-sex provision.

Key provisions

• holding-1 — Gender-critical beliefs are protected in sensitive service contexts including rape crisis and domestic abuse services: Gender-critical beliefs are protected even in sensitive service contexts, including rape crisis centres and domestic abuse services.
• holding-2 — Investigating or disciplining staff for expressing protected beliefs constitutes harassment: Investigating or disciplining staff for expressing protected beliefs, rather than for specific professional misconduct, constitutes harassment under s.26 EA2010.
• A 'heresy hunt' — targeting someone for holding beliefs contrary to organisational ideology — is direct discrimination: A "heresy hunt" — targeting someone for holding beliefs contrary to organisational ideology — constitutes direct discrimination under s.13 EA2010.
• holding-3 — Sensitive services must balance trans inclusion with the protected beliefs of staff and the concerns of service users: A "heresy hunt" — targeting someone for holding beliefs contrary to organisational ideology — constitutes direct discrimination under s.13 EA2010.

When relevant

Rape crisis centres, domestic abuse services, refuges, and any sensitive service where single-sex provision intersects with trans inclusion. Directly relevant to L2-G2 (Sensitive Services Playbook) and the competing rights framework. Also relevant to the Roast's analysis of service-sector policies and the Rights Impact Module's sensitive-service scenarios.