Rape Law Reformer considers standing in Haltemprice and Howden By-election

24th June 2008

The rape law campaigner Jill Saward has announced that she is considering standing as a candidate against David Davis in the forthcoming Haltemprice and Howden By Election.

Jill Saward, who was raped in her Ealing Vicarage Home on 6th March 1986, has long been a campaigner for the rights of rape victims. Today, in an article on her website (www.saward.org) she criticises David Davis’ actions as “deeply disturbing” and argues that victims of sexual crime should come before suspected terrorists. And she argues that the national DNA database should be extended rather than scrapped, saying: “Mr Davis thinks that by forcing a by election he is standing up for British Justice. In reality he is attempting to strike a hammer blow through the very tools the police need to keep us safe.”

She adds: “When a shadow home secretary says nothing at all about such an important issue as sexual violence which affects thousands of people each year; and then resigns over an issue of limited pre-charge detention which may not affect anybody at all - then somebody’s got their priorities wrong and somebody needs to get the issue of rape onto the agenda.”

In the article on her website, Jill asks people to get in touch with her by email: jill@saward.org – to let them know whether they think she should stand.

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