Jill Saward tributes: Courage of woman who launched campaign after rape
A campaignerwho became the first rape victim to waive her right to anonymity has been hailed as a "courageous hero" following her death.
Tributes to Jill Saward, who was the victim of the infamous Ealing vicarage rape in 1986, were led by broadcaster Nicky Campbell and leaders of the campaign group she helped to create to support victims.
Mrs Saward, a vicar's daughter, was 21 when four men burst into the family home and tied up her father, the Rev Michael Saward, and then-boyfriend David Kerr. She was raped by two of the men.
The attack received widespread attention not just for its brutality, but also due to a comment in the subsequent trial when judge Mr Justice Leonard said the trauma suffered by her "had not been so great".
Miss Saward moved to the West Midlands in 1988 in an attempt to bury the past, and worked for a time as a teaching assistant at a school in Birmingham.
She later lived in Telford with husband Gavin Drake, who was communications officer for the Diocese of Lichfield. The couple retained close ties to the area, and later lived in Staffordshire.
She was the first rape victim to waive her anonymity so she could speak out about her ordeal.
Alison Boydell, of campaign group Jurors Understanding Rape Is Essential Standard (Juries), said: "I am overwhelmed with sadness that Juries co-founder and friend Jill Saward has died.
"Jill was an indefatigable advocate for victim-survivors of sexual violence and dedicated her life to campaigning and raising awareness of rape and sexual violence.
"I miss her terribly. I will do everything in my power to ensure that her work on juries was not in vain and that victim-survivors get justice."
Mr Campbell hailed Miss Saward a "hero of our times".
He said: "I'm devastated to hear that Jill Saward has died.
"She was a beautiful, remarkable and inspiring human being. A courageous hero of our times."
In 1990 Miss Saward wrote a book about the attack, which came to be known as the Ealing Vicarage Rape, and campaign on issues including sexual violence and violence against women.
She also founded the charity Help Untwist Rape Trauma, which provided support for rape victims and campaigned to change the law.
Miss Saward, a mother-of-three, once wrote she had no issues with being "tagged" as a rape victim.
She said: "I make no complaint about this tag as it has enabled me to challenge politicians and work for change."
She worked tirelessly to hold both the Government and the legal system to account over the rights of sexual violence victims.
Miss Saward most recently rallied against calls to allow accused perpetrators anonymity until conviction.
Three men were jailed for the attack on Mrs Saward, but gang leader Robert Horscroft, who did not take part in the rape, got 14 years.
The two rapists got lesser sentences.
Martin McCall got five years for the crime and five years for burglary, while Christopher Byrne was jailed for three years for rape and five years for burglary and assault.
The fourth man, who Miss Saward was not aware of at the time, was never identified.
In 1998, she agreed to meet Horscroft and told him: "You don't need to say sorry."
She said forgiveness was key to her beliefs.
"I believe forgiveness gives you freedom. Freedom to move on without being held back by the past," she once wrote.
