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Brave and compassionate campaigner Jill Saward dies

34 replies

woman12345 · 05/01/2017 16:20

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jan/05/jill-saward-campaigner-ealing-vicarage-rape-dies-at-51

A survivor who went on to help many other survivors. After her attack in 1986, and at the Old Bailey trial the following year, the judge, Sir John Leonard, caused an outcry when sentencing the men. He told Saward’s assailants: “Because I have been told the trauma suffered by the victim was not so great … I shall take a lenient course with you.”

Leonard, who later regretted his comment, handed down longer sentences for burglary than for rape. The case contributed to a change in the law allowing prosecutors to appeal for longer sentences.

She forgave her attackers, was a campaigner, counsellor and helped many others who had been raped.

Compassionate condolences to her family.

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LassWiTheDelicateAir · 06/01/2017 15:28

Countess I think it is more the fact "Ealing vicarage " were the opening words in the BBC headline rather than her name.

Even The Sun and The Mail had her name as the opening words and then added the descriptors.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 06/01/2017 13:18

Lass, I thought the same as you but then I read in an article today that she didn't mind being described that way.

Destinysdaughter · 06/01/2017 11:32

Oops sorry, I meant 12!

Destinysdaughter · 06/01/2017 11:32

Radio 2 (Jeremy Vine show ) are going to be discussing her at 11am today

BardyMum · 06/01/2017 10:09

RIP. Agree with all PP have said.

QueenLaBeefah · 06/01/2017 09:06

She was incredibly inspirational. She died far, far too young.

SilentBatperson · 06/01/2017 09:00

Too young, but an incredible person to achieve what she did in a short life. What a legacy.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 06/01/2017 08:47

RIP, incredible and inspiring woman. I am so sorry she has been taken away so early. What a loss.

ChipsForSupper · 06/01/2017 00:58

I agree about the headline comment. However, although it's very sad that she has died so young, it's heartening how widely her death has been reported and, as a result, highlighted again the things she has always campaigned for.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 05/01/2017 22:49

I don't think much of the BBC's headline though. 'Ealing vicarage rape victim Jill Saward dies' sounds very disrespectful to me. Why couldn't they describe her in terms of the great things she did rather than what happened to her?

Agreed.

I appreciate the headline "Jill Saward has died" might need expansion but The Sun and The Daily Mail used enough imagination to describe her as "Jill Saward, sexual violence campaigner"

Cherry321 · 05/01/2017 22:25

Amazing, brave lady. Definitely worthy of a feature Mumsnet HQ?

M0stlyHet · 05/01/2017 22:18

I remember the case at the time, and the appallingly low sentences handed down. I also remember it really hitting home because a good friend had been raped only a couple of years earlier and her case was handled shockingly badly by the police (I sat in on some of the interviews with her, and they were dreadful). Jill Saward was wonderful because at a time when the knee jerk response was to victim-blame, she spoke out, waived her anonymity, and placed the shame back on the perpetrators. If you weren't an adult back in the 80s it's hard to get across what an immensely courageous and ground-breaking move this was on her part - it really did transform the public mood when it came to rape victims.

RIP Flowers

Destinysdaughter · 05/01/2017 19:38

Just came on here to see if there was a thread about this, so glad that there is. Such a young age to die. What an amazing brave woman to use her horrific experiences to campaign on behalf of others. I think of all the celebrities who have received honours recently and whilst not wanting to take anything away from them, wonder why pp like this aren't honoured by our society?

Goingtobeawesome · 05/01/2017 19:31

An amazing lady. RIP.

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woman12345 · 05/01/2017 19:29

BarbarianMum brilliant idea. So much could be learnt. We could start a thread on this, to nominate and educate about women to be celebrated?

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powershowerforanhour · 05/01/2017 19:27

We were shown her story including interview in school. It was called "No Great Trauma". I hope it is shown again as a tribute.

BarbarianMum · 05/01/2017 19:22

It's probably the Victorian in me but I've often felt that their should be a museum of womankind somewhere. You could have different galleries looking at the contribution women have made in science, politics, medicine, another focused on female biology, and others looking at feminist issues such as sexual violence, women and the patriarchy etc (I guess these last would be very dark).
And a bloody great hall of fame where women like Jill could be celebrated.

AristotlesTrousers · 05/01/2017 18:35

R.I.P. Jill.

I don't think much of the BBC's headline though. 'Ealing vicarage rape victim Jill Saward dies' sounds very disrespectful to me. Why couldn't they describe her in terms of the great things she did rather than what happened to her?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-38522714

SparklyBusinessFuckingFairy · 05/01/2017 18:14

She should have had more recognition

I couldn't agree more

RIP

derxa · 05/01/2017 18:01

She should have had more recognition.

Kevinbaconsrealwife · 05/01/2017 17:49

Rest in peace Brave Lady.

TheCunkOfPhilomena · 05/01/2017 17:47

A real pioneer and I'm so grateful to her.

illegitimateMortificadospawn · 05/01/2017 17:21

I am glad to see her honoured and mentioned here too. A brave woman. Fifty-one is no age at all.

therealsquireofwideacre · 05/01/2017 17:01

I knew her for a time too when our children were young. She was brave and dignified. This is very sad news.

tribpot · 05/01/2017 16:58

There are a couple of threads running about her, there is another in In The News.

We owe her a great debt for waiving her anonymity and bravely speaking out - for showing us there is no shame in being a victim of this terrible crime.

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