HARRIET Harman, the Solicitor General, will visit the North-East next month to talk to women about changing the law regarding rape.
She will address members of women's groups at the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough on Tuesday, November 12.
The event was organised by Redcar MP Vera Baird after she received two petitions, containing more than 1,000 signatures, urging for a change in rape laws.
"I passed on the two petitions to the Solicitor General and she said she'd like to come and address all the women's pressure groups who had collected the signatures in Middlesbrough and Redcar," she said.
"The main issue we'll be looking at is how rape is prosecuted and what's gone wrong. The fact that we only have a seven per cent conviction rate in this country proves the need for change.
"Harriet Harman is quite radical about it and very understanding so its a good opportunity for women to put questions to her as she has jurisdiction over prosecutions."
A representative from the Rape Crisis Centre will also speak, along with Alane Aitken from Middlesbrough's Women's Support Network.
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