In a deeply personal and courageous address to Parliament, Labour MP Josh Newbury has revealed he was raped by a man after blacking out from alcohol consumption during a night out nearly ten years ago.
A Night That Changed Everything
The Member of Parliament for Cannock Chase shared his traumatic experience during a Commons debate marking International Men's Day, describing how he woke up in a hotel room with another man with no memory of how he got there.
Mr Newbury explained he had been on a night out in an unfamiliar city with friends approximately a decade ago, consciously attempting to pace his drinking to ensure he could find his way back to his accommodation alone if necessary.
"I remember going to a few bars, having a good time, but then it's a complete blank," the MP told fellow parliamentarians. "Which is something that I've never experienced before or since."
The Disturbing Awakening
The morning after the night out brought what Newbury described as "the worst headache I've ever had" and concerning comments from the man sharing his hotel room.
"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," Newbury recalled.
Although initially dismissing the discrepancy between his intention to drink moderately and the man's account, the situation became increasingly alarming through subsequent text messages where the man repeatedly asked what Newbury remembered and described him as a "great shag."
"Now that made me freeze," Newbury said, "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?"
Coming to Terms with Trauma
The Midlands MP disclosed that it took several weeks to process the fragmented memories, missing time, and disturbing messages before he could acknowledge to himself that he had been raped.
Newbury never reported the assault to police, expressing concern that without immediate tangible evidence, charges would be unlikely months after the incident.
He revealed experiencing complex emotions in the aftermath, including finding himself "processing all of this with thoughts like, 'I count myself lucky that I was unconscious when it happened.'"
However, the MP emphasised that no victim should ever feel compelled to create a "hierarchy" of assault or experience shame about what happened to them.
Breaking the Silence for Others
Newbury's powerful testimony aimed to challenge the stigma surrounding male victims of sexual assault and encourage more men to come forward.
"It is the people who do this to another person who should feel shame," he stated firmly, "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."
Fellow Labour MPs immediately offered their support following his emotional address, with Stella Creasy and Jim Dickson seen comforting him after his speech.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting later praised Newbury's bravery, calling it "a rare moment to hear such a courageous speech" during his ten years in Parliament.
"We can be truly proud of the Member for Cannock Chase," Streeting said. "He is a conviction politician, he is prepared to speak truth to power and use his influence to get things done for his community, and just through his words, he will have such an impact on so many people who he will never meet, but will nonetheless draw strength from his courage."
Shadow minister for women Mims Davies and Labour MP Alistair Strathern also paid tribute to Newbury during the continuing debate.
