LABOUR BIGWIG WARNED ME NOT TO REPORT RAPE
Activist claims she was attacked as teen Corbyn orders an urgent investigation
A LABOUR activist has claimed she was raped at a party event and warned by a senior colleague not to report it as it “might damage her”.
Bex Bailey, who was 19 at the time of the attack in 2011, bravely waived her anonymity as a growing sex pest scandal threatened to engulf Westminster.
Blasting the party’s reaction, she said: “I don’t think I was even given a cup of tea.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ordered an urgent investigation.
The allegations came as the Daily Mirror learned young women working for Labour warn each other about certain MPs behaving inappropriately.
Ms Bailey, 25, spoke of her ordeal on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme yesterday, saying: “I was raped.” Asked if she went to the police, she replied: “No, I didn’t for all the reasons that I think a lot of women don’t report this. I was scared, I felt ashamed.”
Stressing her attacker was not an MP, she added: “It took me a while to summon up the courage to tell anyone in the party. But when I did, I told a senior member of staff who told me it was suggested to me that I not report it. I was told if I did it might damage me.”
She went on: “I wasn’t given good advice, I wasn’t given a procedure when I asked for it so that I could, sort of, see what would happen if I did report it and then make a decision.
“I don’t think I was even given a cup of tea. It was quite a horrible experience.”
Ms Bailey, a former member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, described her ordeal after the Harvey Weinstein scandal sent shock waves through Hollywood – and as Parliament risks a similar crisis.
She continued: “I’ve seen a lot of very brave women speak out over the last few days and weeks and I’m doing it because it, for me personally, feels like the right thing to do and I really want to see the change I’ve been fighting for.” Mr Corbyn last night praised her “enormous courage”. He said: “Bex Bailey has shown incredible bravery by talking publicly about what has happened to her and has my full support and solidarity. I have asked Labour’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, to launch an independent investigation into the allegations she wasn’t given the support from the party she should have received and had the right to expect.
“There will be no tolerance in the Labour Party for sexism, harassment or abuse.”
Meanwhile, a Labour researcher has told how young female staffers warn each other to take care with certain MPs.
She said: “We do talk and look out for each other. It might be along the lines of, ‘Don’t go for a drink with X’, or, ‘Watch out for Y if you’re in the pub and he’s p ***** ’. We all know who they are.”
One backbencher is said to be known as “Gropey” because of his reputation for “touching up” young women. A female Labour MP also claimed some male colleagues “sit too close on the benches and “accidentally’ touch your leg”.