Women's fears over migrant crisis must never be dismissed as fearmongering - campaigner

Women's fears over migrant crisis must never be dismissed as fearmongering - campaigner Exclusive: Christina Gower, 26, said campaigners have been criticised for citing safety concerns. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Michael Knowles , Home Affairs and Defence Editor 16:54, Sun, Oct 18, 2026 Updated: 16:55, Sun, Oct 18, 2026 The women of Piddington have vowed not to be silenced (Image: Tim Merry/Staff Photographer) One of the women of Piddington has declared safety fears should “never be dismissed as fearmongering simply because they make others uncomfortable. Christina Gower, 26, said campaigners have been criticised for citing safety concerns. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT But she vowed to keep fighting to raise awareness, after revealing she was followed home by a migrant when she was just 15 years old. Miss Gower said: “We’ve received criticism for using women’s fears about safety as part of our campaign against MOD Bicester. Get the latest politics news - straight from our team in Westminster and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Andy Burnham given chilling warning of Russian attack - 'doesn't need to invade' Andy Burnham issued major demand by 30,000 drivers as pensioners left isolated “My fears come from personal experience and I will not apologise for them. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT “There is a difference between creating fear and having genuine reasons to feel afraid. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT “Women’s safety concerns should never be dismissed as fearmongering because they make others uncomfortable”. A police chief has warned families living next to Labour’s asylum camps face an “inevitable” increase in crime. Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber said it is “naïve” not to expect an increase in “violent and sexual offences”. Nine women from Piddington descended on Parliament on Wednesday to demand Labour ditch plans to house 1,256 asylum seekers next to the Oxfordshire village. But Labour faced fresh fury for failing to talk to any of the women – despite their repeated pleas. Mr Barber said in a letter to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood: “We must expect an increase in crime. “We have seen this in asylum hotels and the size of the proposed camp near Bicester will only increase the scale of the problem. “It is naïve to consider that such a large population of single men will not bring with it a greater risk of violent and sexual offences”. And he said in an interview on GB News: “What we've seen in the past, certainly in Thames Valley, where we've had asylum hotels in the past, they do generate some crime, if nothing else between groups of asylum seekers [themselves]. “You've got people coming from all over the world from various different backgrounds. “There is some inevitability of an increase in crime when you put that many people in a confined space and expect them to all rub along with each other.” The Channel migrant crisis has led to fears over women's safety (Image: Getty) The women of Piddington compared the Government’s silence to the betrayal of grooming gang victims. Andy Burnham and Shabana Mahmood were accused of using “class as a weapon” to ignore warnings that they will “suffer” at the hands of men “from cultures where women are treated worse than animals”. And Piddington resident Miss Gower said: “So the fact that he's used that language, it really just validates our concerns and our fears. And our fears, speaking of fears, is actually something we've received a lot of criticism for. “When I was 15, I was walking along a very fast road, in broad daylight, when a migrant male approached me and told me to have sex with him. “He followed me home, but I did get home safely, thankfully. “I believe that it's because I was on that busy road that I was safe, and we don't have that here in Piddington. We don't have that security. “When we spoke to rural policing, they said to us that it will take up to 45 minutes for them to get here, and the best thing we can do for ourselves is to run and hide." The nine women sat in the front row of the public gallery as they watched MPs tear Labour’s plan to shreds. They then met with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, just weeks after she visited the village. Miss Gower added: “It's so, so frustrating to be ignored by an elected government. “I was there on Wednesday in the gallery at Parliament. “At any point, any of them could have come to speak to us, but they refused to. “Seven times now, Andy Burnham said, 'Yes, I will listen to the people of Piddington,' but he hasn't. “He's ignored us. He's ignored all of our concerns. And it's re- yeah, really, really frustrating. It's about time this Labour government put its taxpayers and its British residents first, as the priority." Migrant Crisis Labour Party Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments