Conservative MP Jamie Wallis said “part of me died” when he was raped, as he called for more support for the victims and confirmed that he intends to move on as a woman.
Wallis, a Bridgehead MP, said he had been “shocked” by a number of men and women who had had similar experiences since making a statement last month about the rape.
“None of us, no matter who you are or which side of the House of Commons you sit on, can do well until we realize how widespread this is,” he said, adding, “at some point we will have to find a way to identify the people who need … who have gone through this trauma and need help. “
Speaking about his own experience, Wallis said: “I met someone I liked and things started out pretty well. Then it was not good for me not to be what I consider responsible and to practice safety in the bedroom and so I withdrew my consent and then there was… then he just decided that he would do it anyway and I was powerless to stop him. ”
He added: “At that moment, part of me died and I have been trying to get it back ever since.”
Wallis said: “I tried to forget about it for a few weeks and it almost worked, almost worked, but then you start having nightmares, flashbacks, it starts to occupy your every thought and you just look into the distance because I’m thinking about it again. that’s when I chose to get help. “
Wallis stunned colleagues last month when he published a late-night statement revealing that he was transsexual and the fact that he had been raped.
This came hours after Boris Johnson did what some in Westminster interpreted as a transphobic joke at a private Tory dinner, saying: “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen – or as Keira Starmer would say, people who are hired women or men at birth. ”
After Wallis came out in a trance, Johnson praised him for his bravery. The MP said he had received support from across the political spectrum.
Speaking about his sexual dysphoria, Wallis said he was eight years old when he first felt uncomfortable with what he called “my physical characteristics.”
“I think I was eight years old when I was trying to figure out what it was, because it was going to be 1991, 1992, and I didn’t have ready access to the internet, there was no one else in my community at home who felt this way or that. , which I knew about, so I had no idea what it was, ”he said, explaining that he had not talked to anyone about it and had been trying to suppress it for many years.
Reaffirming that he wanted to “start the transition process” that he expected to be “challenging and difficult”, Wallis urged others not to wait that long.
“You have a long life, I wouldn’t wait as long as I waited – I’m 37, maybe you could move a little faster than that – but there’s really nothing wrong with just taking some time and finding yourself and not hurry to pick up a label or see it in any way, but when you know who you are, you are ready and you want to tell the world, there are people like me who are waiting and we are hospitable, we are friendly and we are here to help and support, “he said.
He added: “This is a transition; it’s a journey and I can start this journey now without worrying about being seen or what people will say or anything like that. “
In the United Kingdom, Rape Crisis offers support for rape and sexual violence on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support at 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available on 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
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