Who is Bex Bailey and what has the Labour activist said about her party event rape allegation?
LABOUR activist Bex Bailey has revealed that she was raped at a party event – but told not to report it to the police.
Here's what we know about the prominent campaigner, and what she's said about the alleged attack.
Who is Bex Bailey and what has she said about being raped?
Bex Bailey, 25, is one of Labour's leading young activists, and previously sat on the party's governing body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), for three years as a youth representative.
According to her website, she is from Nottinghamshire and has been campaigning with the party for 10 years.
Miss Bailey, who sits on the Labour Women's Network Committee, cites her main campaigning interests as equality, low pay, homelessness and the NHS.
In a piece for last year putting forward her candidacy for the NEC, she wrote of her desire to "fight for a more equal Labour Party", and ensure "young women have more opportunities to get involved".
She said: "As a young woman I know that the culture of the Labour Party at all levels can be intimidating and off-putting.
"Too often we face unwelcoming meetings, difficulties getting involved and even harassment and bullying."
On October 31, Miss Bailey told BBC Radio 4's PM programme that in 2011 she was raped at a party event by a man who was senior to her – but not an MP.
Miss Bailey said that when did summon up the courage to speak to a Labour official, she was advised that it would "damage" her if she took her complaint further.
She was 19 years old at the time of the attack, and told her story to add to voices calling for reform in the wake of the Westminster harassment scandal.
Miss Bailey said: "I was seriously sexually assaulted at a Labour party event by – it wasn’t an MP – but someone who was more senior to me.
"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."
She said that in the immediate aftermath of her ordeal she did not tell anyone because she was worried about people gossiping and didn’t want to be rebuffed by the authorities.
Two years after the rape, Miss Bailey spoke to a senior Labour official, but described their discussion as "a cold, horrible experience" because the staff member hadn’t been trained in how to handle such a serious complaint.
The 25-year-old called for a new independent agency which can investigate future incidents without party employees getting involved.
How has Labour responded to the allegations?
In response to Miss Bailey's allegations, Labour vowed to hold an urgent investigation into the handling of her case.
A party spokesman said: "The Labour Party takes these allegations extremely seriously. It takes great courage for victims of rape to come forward - and all support must and will be made available to them.
"We would strongly recommend that the police investigate the allegations of criminal actions that Bex Bailey has made.
"Labour will also launch an independent investigation into claims that a party employee acted improperly over these 2011 allegations."
Ed Miliband, Labour leader at the time of the assault, was among many party MPs expressing support for Miss Bailey, saying that he was "shocked" by her experience.
He said: "I am shocked by the horrific allegations on PM by Bex Bailey. She is showing great bravery and courage in speaking out.
"Victims must be supported when they come forward. These allegations must be properly investigated by the police and the Labour Party."
