Raped MP: ‘It is the people who do this to another person who should feel shame’ | ITV News

*A warning that this article contains details of Mr Newbury’s experience*

An MP has spoken out in the House of Commons about being raped after a night out, and called for other victims to report the crime.

The Cannock Chase Labour MP, Josh Newbury, told an International Men’s Day debate that he woke up in his hotel room with another man after blacking out while drunk.

Mr Newbury said he had not reported the attack to police, and had felt guilty afterwards, so wanted to stop the silence and “shame” experienced by those who have been assaulted.

‘It’s a complete blank’

Mr Newbury said: “Around 10 years ago, I went on a night out in an unfamiliar city with a group of friends. I was very conscious not to overdo it, because if I got separated from the group I wanted to be able to find my way back to the hotel.

“I remember going to a few bars, having a good time, but then it’s a complete blank. Which is something that I’ve never experienced before or since. The next morning, I woke up with the worst headache I’ve ever had.

“The man I was sharing a hotel room with commented that he had a great night, but that I’d overdone it a bit and needed to be looked after.

“That didn’t seem to tally with me being determined to pace myself, but I thought maybe I’d drunk too much and I just wanted to get home and sleep it off.

‘How could I have ever consented?’

“What followed in the days after was constant text messages from this man, initially just asking if I was OK, but then repeatedly asking what I remembered and commenting that I was a ‘great shag’.

“Now that made me freeze, because I had no recollection of getting back to the hotel, let alone anything else, and he’d repeatedly told me how out of it I’d been, so how could I have ever consented?”

“It took me a few weeks to piece together my memories, the blanks, the text messages, this man’s insistent tone. Obviously, I cut myself off from contact but it took me a long time to admit, even to myself, that I was a victim of rape.

‘It is the people who do this to another person who should feel shame’

“I never felt able to report this and face the likely conclusion that months on from that night, there wasn’t the tangible evidence to ever bring a charge, and I will probably always carry a bit of guilt around that.

“I found myself processing all of this with thoughts like, ‘I count myself lucky that I was unconscious when it happened’. But I want to say clearly today, that no victim should ever feel that they have to put themselves in a hierarchy or feel any shame.

“It is the people who do this to another person who should feel shame, and I hope that we can foster an atmosphere where men have the courage to speak out about this, and seek justice, even if it is a hard road.”

Other MPs offered Mr Newbury support and paid tribute to his bravery.

The debate took place the day after International Men’s Day on its 10th anniversary.

If you’ve been affected by issues in this article, there are links to advice and support here.

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