This week in the U.K., gay member of Parliament Josh Newbury spoke in the House of Commons during the International Mens Day debate. To highlight and challenge the stigma victims of sexual assault face including male victims he bravely revealed his story of being raped ten years previously on a night out.International Mens Day should be an opportunity to smash through stigma, Newbury said. One that I believe still persists amongst men is being the victim of sexual harassment or assault. Breaking the silence can mean those of us in privileged positions telling our stories. So heres mine. Related Trans people banned from single-sex spaces based on their appearances in leaked UK guidance Newbury explained that he was on a night out in an unfamiliar city ten years ago and had intended to drink only in moderation to ensure he could safely get back to the hotel he was sharing with his friends. However, he unexpectedly blacked out and had no memory of the night, and subsequent messages from the man he shared a room with made it clear that sexual activities had taken place that he could not have been in a position to consent to.he said that the other man texted him for days. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today What followed in the days after was constant text messages from this man, initially just asking if I was OK, but then repeatedly asking what I remembered and commenting that I was a great shag.'Now that made me freeze, because I had no recollection of getting back to the hotel, let alone anything else, and hed repeatedly told me how out of it Id been, so how could I have ever consented? It took me a few weeks to piece together my memories, the blanks, the text messages, this mans insistent tone. Obviously, I cut myself off from contact but it took me a long time to admit, even to myself, that I was a victim of rape.Newbury said that he never reported it because of a lack of physical evidence and that he still feels guilt about that.I found myself processing all of this with thoughts like, I count myself lucky that I was unconscious when it happened But I want to say clearly today, that no victim should ever feel that they have to put themselves in a hierarchy or feel any shame.It is the people who do this to another person who should feel shame, 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. WATCH: Labour MP Josh Newbury reveals during a debate on International Men's Day that he was raped 10 years ago after being spiked pic.twitter.com/szEGU59J89 Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) November 20, 2025Josh Newbury is the Labour Party MP for Cannock Chase, a role he was elected to in July 2024. Prior to entering politics he worked in the energy industry and in the healthcare sector, including a communications role with a mental health trust in the National Health Service.Newbury called himself a proud gay man when he was endorsed by the Chris Smith List, which supports the election of LGBT+ Labour candidates. He lives in Norton Canes, inside his constituency, with his husband and two children.International Mens Day was established in 1999 and first officially observed in the U.K. in 2010. Each year, the House of Commons normally debate topics related to issues affecting men, which have included the high male suicide rate, the shorter life expectancy of men, and the challenges faced by marginalized men and boys in society. While it can sometimes be viewed in a similar light to heterosexual or cis pride, Newburys speech is a good example of some real stigma, much like mental health, that men face and are often not supported in.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.