In a deeply personal and courageous speech in the House of Commons, Labour MP Josh Newbury has publicly revealed that he was raped a decade ago, calling for an end to the stigma and silence that often surrounds victims of sexual assault.
A Night That Changed Everything
The Member of Parliament for Cannock Chase shared his experience during a debate marking International Men's Day. He recounted a night out approximately ten years ago in an unfamiliar city with friends. Mr Newbury was conscious of pacing his drinking, ensuring he would be able to find his way back to his hotel if he became separated from the group.
His memory of the evening, however, goes completely blank after visiting a few bars, an experience he described as unique in his life. He woke up the next morning with the worst headache he had ever had. The man he was sharing a hotel room with commented that Mr Newbury had "overdone it a bit" and needed to be looked after.
This did not align with the MP's recollection of being determined to pace himself, but he initially dismissed it, thinking he might have simply drunk too much. The situation became clearer in the days that followed.
The Harrowing Realisation
The man began sending a series of text messages, starting with inquiries about his well-being but quickly escalating. The messages repeatedly asked what Mr Newbury remembered and included comments that he was a "great shag".
This caused the MP to freeze. He had no memory of returning to the hotel, let alone any sexual activity. Combined with the man's own admissions about how "out of it" he had been, Mr Newbury was forced to confront a terrifying question: How could he have possibly consented?
It took several weeks for him to piece together the fragments of memory, the text messages, and the man's insistent tone. He eventually cut off all contact, but admitted it took him a long time to acknowledge, even to himself, that he was a victim of rape.
A Call for Courage and an End to Shame
Mr Newbury disclosed that he never felt able to report the attack to the police, fearing a lack of tangible evidence so long after the event. He confessed to carrying a sense of guilt and even found himself processing the trauma with thoughts like, "I count myself lucky that I was unconscious when it happened."
He used his platform in Parliament to state clearly that no victim should ever feel they have to create a hierarchy of suffering or feel any shame. He asserted that the shame belongs solely to the perpetrators and expressed his hope for an atmosphere where men feel the courage to speak out and seek justice, however difficult that path may be.
His powerful testimony was met with widespread support from colleagues across the political aisle. Fellow Labour MPs Stella Creasy and Jim Dickson were seen offering him comfort immediately after his speech.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting praised the address, calling it one of the most courageous he had heard in his decade in Parliament. He commended Mr Newbury as a "conviction politician" whose words would provide strength to countless people he would never meet.
Shadow minister for women Mims Davies and Labour MP Alistair Strathern also paid tribute, with the latter describing Mr Newbury as a "model for a modern strong man" for his bravery in sharing such a deeply personal experience.
The debate, held on the 10th anniversary of International Men's Day, also covered issues such as prostate cancer screening, educational under-achievement by working-class boys, and campaigns for better paternity leave, to which Mr Newbury also lent his support.
