Sex attack victim will tell Clarke to overhaul system

A sex attack victim who confronted Ken Clarke over his proposals to halve jail sentences for rapists who confess said she would demand a "complete overhaul" of the justice system

Gabrielle Browne, 45, also said she would ask Mr Clarke to apologise to thousands of women who endure trials to bring their attackers to justice.
Mrs Browne broke down in tears while talking to the Justice Secretary on the radio last week after he said some rapes were less serious than others.

After the comments, Labour leader Ed Miliband called for Mr Clarke's resignation and David Cameron ordered Mr Clarke to go on air to apologise.

The Justice Secretary then asked to meet Mrs Browne in Westminster today. The mother-of-two, attacked in 2003 by a serial sex offender who was subsequently freed early, said she will call on him to "improve the entire system for victims".

She told the Standard: "All I want is for him to listen to me fairly and take me seriously. This is about a system that needs a complete overhaul, not a personal apology to me.

"My focus is the experience I went through and I don't want anyone to have to go through that ever again.

"If I can influence a few changes then I will have achieved something."
Mrs Browne challenged Mr Clarke on live radio last week after he defended sentencing changes, arguing there were different types of rape including "proper" rape, contrasting it with an 18-year-old having consensual sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend.

Mr Clarke later said "all rape is a serious crime" and that he was sorry if his remarks had upset people.