Born in Liverpool in 1965, I am an identical twin.
I became a Christian aged 12, following the death of a young boy, at a Pathfinder Camp I was attending.
In 1986 I hit the headlines following what was dubbed by the media as “The Ealing Vicarage Rape”. 4 men (although we were only aware of 3) broke into my father’s vicarage and beat up my boyfriend and dad, and one of them raped, buggered and indecently assaulted me, whilst a second indecently assaulted me (under the law as it was then).
In 1990 I became the first victim in the UK to waive my right to anonymity and had my book “Rape My Story” published by Bloomsbury Press and then in Paperback by Pan. It was co-written with Wendy Green a friend of mine.
I have worked in a variety of roles: as a Classroom Assistant, Children’s Shoe Fitter, Secretary/Receptionist for Christian Charity, Cash Office Clerk, Cleaner/Head Housekeeper of a YMCA, Temporary Teacher, Children’s Development Worker, Rape and Sexual Assault Caseworker and Sexual Violence Advisor, as well as being self employed working with the media, writing articles, public speaking at schools, university, youth groups, as well as to professionals. I stood in a by election against David Davis in 2008. I have campaigned/spoken on many issues including sexual violence, violence against women, forgiveness, justice, CCTV, a national DNA database, endometrial cancer and Crohn’s disease. In 2012 I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS – hypermobility) and possible Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.
I have provided training to Old Bailey judges, plastic surgeon’s conference, nurses conference, northern area FME’s, mental health professionals, Cambridge Police, City Police, Cleveland Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, Dorset Police, Durham Police, Dyfed Powys Police, Essex Police, GMP, Gwent Police, Hampshire Police, Jersey Police, Kent Police, Leicestershire Police, Nottinghamshire Police, South Wales Police, Sussex Police, Warwickshire Police, Wiltshire Police, West Mercia Police, West Midlands Police and West Yorkshire Police. I have spoken at Westminster School; Colchester Girls; Lady Margaret, Fulham; Calday Grange, West Kirby; Coventry University and the Oxford Union.
I have appeared on numerous tv programmes including: BBC News, ITN News, Sky News, News 24, GMTV, Channel 4 News, Channel 5 News, Central News, Granada News, TV am, BBC Breakfast, Hard News, Newsnight, Thames News, Newsroom South East, Yorkshire TV News, and West Country News.
I have also appeared on: Songs of Praise; The Time, The Place; Kilroy; This Morning; Central Weekend Live; Esther, Crimestalker; Everyman; The James Whale Show; Ruby Wax Show; Heart of the Matter; Kenny Live; Panorama; Up Front; Crimewatch Daily; Cover Story; Wire TV; This is the Day; The Paul Ross Show; The Big Questions; 7 Days that Shook Coronation Street; The Politics Show; Chalke Talk; Good Morning; Beechy; The Crystal Rose Show; Enigma; Hearts and Minds; UK Living; Spotlight; Ark2; Matter of Faith; Cable 1; What’s the Story; 4 Thought…………… (I may have missed some as I didn’t keep a record for several years).
I have been on the radio over 500 times including: The Moral Maze, The World at One, Woman’s Hour & World Service, Radio 1, 2, 4, 5, Local BBC Stations, LBC & Premier.
I have written articles for or been interviewed for: Woman, Woman’s Own, Hello!, Marie Claire, Company, Eve, JAM, Bella, Pick Me Up, Take a Break, The Times, The Sun, The Daily Mail, The Daily Express, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent, The Observer, Today, The Daily Mirror, The Sunday Mirror, The Independent on Sunday, The Liverpool Echo, The Western Morning News, The Evening Standard, Bradford Telgraph and Argus, News of the World, UK News, Tavistock Times Gazette, Worcester Evening News, Exeter Express and Echo, Newcastle Eveing Chronicle, Church of England Newspaper, Yorkshire Evening Post, Yorkshire Times, Sunday Times, Daily Star, Baptist Times, New Christian Herald, Shropshire Star, Scotland on Sunday, Practical Parenting, Third Way, Liverpool Daily News, Scottish Daily Record, Ealing Gazette, West London Guardian, Birmingham Post and Mail, The Islander, Birmingham Evening Mail, Nursing Times, Best, Parentwise, Methodist Recorder, Caring News.
I spent a year looking after my mother who had endometrial cancer. She was too frightened to ask for medical advice, so that when she did it was too late.
Dear Jill
Thank You for Your Book and 8th March 2006 Telegraph Article.
I am a Christian, and victim of date rape, Easter Monday, 12 April 1971, in London,
when I was 19 and a virgin.
Still trying to recover . . . single.
May God Bless You
Josephine
Dear Jill
Thank You for Your Book and 8th March 2006 Telegraph Article.
I am a Christian, and victim of date rape, Easter Monday, 12 April 1971, in London,
when I was 19 and a virgin.
Still trying to recover . . . single.
May God Bless You
Josephine
Hi Jill,
I read your book some years ago. I’m a vicar’s daughter myself. Not directly affected by the contents, though some of my family have.
My personal journey has got me interested in mental health and I’ve seen transforming approaches. Here’s a link to one. I see your point about it isn’t always PTSD. This video starts off with a horrible case of sexual assault with PTSD which transforms to something beautiful.
Then there’s a more “regular” case being helped. Hope you find it valuable.
http://www.threeprinciplesmovies.com/metv-ptsd-2/
Hi Jill,
I read your book some years ago. I’m a vicar’s daughter myself. Not directly affected by the contents, though some of my family have.
My personal journey has got me interested in mental health and I’ve seen transforming approaches. Here’s a link to one. I see your point about it isn’t always PTSD. This video starts off with a horrible case of sexual assault with PTSD which transforms to something beautiful.
Then there’s a more “regular” case being helped. Hope you find it valuable.
http://www.threeprinciplesmovies.com/metv-ptsd-2/
So very sorry to hear that Jill has died. She was an inspiration and her courage knew no boundaries. Please pass on my sincere condolences to her family. Quite simply, Jill made the world a better place.
So very sorry to hear that Jill has died. She was an inspiration and her courage knew no boundaries. Please pass on my sincere condolences to her family. Quite simply, Jill made the world a better place.
If I may, my story is on The Forgiveness Project website http://www.theforgivenessproject.com
I’m a Christian who has struggled with forgiveness after child sexual abuse. Jill’s voice was so important in raising the profile of the unseen survivors. Rest in peace.
If I may, my story is on The Forgiveness Project website http://www.theforgivenessproject.com
I’m a Christian who has struggled with forgiveness after child sexual abuse. Jill’s voice was so important in raising the profile of the unseen survivors. Rest in peace.
Dear Jill. I’m 18, and I am so sad that the way I had to find out about you was when you passed. I can now tell you that you are my hero and my inspiration. I was raped, and have ptsd because of it. But today, I am pledging to get the help after 3 years. Your family, and all of the world, are so proud of you. God bless, dear Gill.
Dear Jill. I’m 18, and I am so sad that the way I had to find out about you was when you passed. I can now tell you that you are my hero and my inspiration. I was raped, and have ptsd because of it. But today, I am pledging to get the help after 3 years. Your family, and all of the world, are so proud of you. God bless, dear Gill.
I am so sad for you Jill. What Wonderful witness you have been. I know that you are now safe in the arms of the Lord Jesus.
I am so sad for you Jill. What Wonderful witness you have been. I know that you are now safe in the arms of the Lord Jesus.
So very sad to hear the news of Jill’s untimely death. A very brave lady who has helped the cause of rape victims immeasurably. Thought with her family who clearly loved and supported her through very difficult times.
She was a shining light and her work should never be forgotten.
So very sad to hear the news of Jill’s untimely death. A very brave lady who has helped the cause of rape victims immeasurably. Thought with her family who clearly loved and supported her through very difficult times.
She was a shining light and her work should never be forgotten.
Hi,
I am desperately trying to get hold of your book.
I think your truly amazing please can you tell me how to get it.
Hi,
I am desperately trying to get hold of your book.
I think your truly amazing please can you tell me how to get it.
Dear family of Jill,
I saw the report of Jill’s demise on the BBC news last night and would like to offer you my sincerest condolences.
I and my parents were brutally beaten, tortured and sexually assaulted, although we were attacked in different locations. I lost 7 units of blood as a result of the attack. My father’s eyesight was permanently damaged and all three of us were seriously damaged by the attack, which involved, in my own case, a lump hammer, angle grinder, cigarettes, a Stanley knife and a lighter. I can sympathise with what you all went through, because I have been through a similar horrific experience myself. You can only wonder what sort of a person would enjoy gang raping someone who they had just paralysed. It helps me to think of them as being six inches tall 😉
I am, like Jill was, half of a pair of twins, although my own twin died when she was 18, in a car crash.
I can remember being really impressed by your family at the time of your incident. I was horrifed at the time by the comments of the judge. I remember thinking that it really was like adding insult to injury.
The only advice that I can offer you is that anger interrupts the healing process in your body, because cortisol is released by your brain and readies your body for flight or fight. This did not help me much at the time of my assault, because I was temporarily paralysed from the waist down and could do nothing to defend myself.
I’m 5 feet 1.5 inches tall and weigh 9 stone 3 pounds. My attackers were 6 feet tall and over, although a couple of them were just over 5 feet tall (one of them was very overweight). I had no weapons on me and had done nothing wrong, exactly like your own family.
I believe that if we can forgive these less than human people for terrorising innocent families, then we will be able to heal our own bodies more effectively. Perhaps they were themselves beaten as children and sexually assaulted.
I wish your family only good things for the future and please do not let these thugs on drugs destroy your faith in human nature. You are not alone.
Dear family of Jill,
I saw the report of Jill’s demise on the BBC news last night and would like to offer you my sincerest condolences.
I and my parents were brutally beaten, tortured and sexually assaulted, although we were attacked in different locations. I lost 7 units of blood as a result of the attack. My father’s eyesight was permanently damaged and all three of us were seriously damaged by the attack, which involved, in my own case, a lump hammer, angle grinder, cigarettes, a Stanley knife and a lighter. I can sympathise with what you all went through, because I have been through a similar horrific experience myself. You can only wonder what sort of a person would enjoy gang raping someone who they had just paralysed. It helps me to think of them as being six inches tall 😉
I am, like Jill was, half of a pair of twins, although my own twin died when she was 18, in a car crash.
I can remember being really impressed by your family at the time of your incident. I was horrifed at the time by the comments of the judge. I remember thinking that it really was like adding insult to injury.
The only advice that I can offer you is that anger interrupts the healing process in your body, because cortisol is released by your brain and readies your body for flight or fight. This did not help me much at the time of my assault, because I was temporarily paralysed from the waist down and could do nothing to defend myself.
I’m 5 feet 1.5 inches tall and weigh 9 stone 3 pounds. My attackers were 6 feet tall and over, although a couple of them were just over 5 feet tall (one of them was very overweight). I had no weapons on me and had done nothing wrong, exactly like your own family.
I believe that if we can forgive these less than human people for terrorising innocent families, then we will be able to heal our own bodies more effectively. Perhaps they were themselves beaten as children and sexually assaulted.
I wish your family only good things for the future and please do not let these thugs on drugs destroy your faith in human nature. You are not alone.
Very sorry to hear of Jill’s untimely death. What a remarkable and courageous woman. I lived in Ealing in the 80’s and remember the appalling crime well. It is shocking to read about it again after all these years. RIP Jill you were a great lady.
Very sorry to hear of Jill’s untimely death. What a remarkable and courageous woman. I lived in Ealing in the 80’s and remember the appalling crime well. It is shocking to read about it again after all these years. RIP Jill you were a great lady.
Dear family of Jill,
I’m so sorry to hear the very sad news of Jill’s passing. She was an amazing woman, brave and inspirational. She left a very positive erasable mark on the world. Her legacy will live for ever. Her Christian whiteness shone like a bright beacon, shining light into darkness. My deepest condolences to you her family and to all her knew and loved her. May the lord be with you in your grief and hold you in his loving arms at this very sad time. X
Dear family of Jill,
I’m so sorry to hear the very sad news of Jill’s passing. She was an amazing woman, brave and inspirational. She left a very positive erasable mark on the world. Her legacy will live for ever. Her Christian whiteness shone like a bright beacon, shining light into darkness. My deepest condolences to you her family and to all her knew and loved her. May the lord be with you in your grief and hold you in his loving arms at this very sad time. X
My name is John Kelly. I was the Police Officer in charge of day to day investigation s into the Vicarage attack. Jill and I became good friends after the event and I am thanked as John in her book. I don’t know who will read this now, but please give me a contact detail of husband or close relative so I can send a letter.
Rest in peace Jill you will always be in my thoughts.
Regards John Kelly ex act DI Met Police.
I have lovely memories of Jill that I would love to relate.
Regards John K
My name is John Kelly. I was the Police Officer in charge of day to day investigation s into the Vicarage attack. Jill and I became good friends after the event and I am thanked as John in her book. I don’t know who will read this now, but please give me a contact detail of husband or close relative so I can send a letter.
Rest in peace Jill you will always be in my thoughts.
Regards John Kelly ex act DI Met Police.
I have lovely memories of Jill that I would love to relate.
Regards John K
Dear family of Jill,
I have just read Jill’s book & how much she survived. Jill used her life to help others and I’m humbled to know her story. I’m so sad for your loss. Jill will be in the arms of her loving Father.
Love to you all
Donna