London, United Kingdom: A British lawmaker on Thursday recounted during a parliamentary debate on violence against women how she had been raped as a 14-year-old.

Scottish National Party MP Michelle Thomson told colleagues she was attacked by an acquaintance following a youth event, as the House of Commons marked the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

"It was early evening. He told me he wanted to show me something in a wooded area and at that point, I must admit, I was alarmed," recalled the SNP member.

"I did have a warning bell –- but I overrode that warning bell because I knew him and therefore there was a level of trust in place.

"It was mercifully quick and I remember first of all feeling surprise, then fear, then horror as I realised I quite simply couldn't escape," she added.

Too afraid to tell her parents, the attack left the MP feeling "spoiled and impure", she told the house.

However, 37-years on, Thomson said she now saw herself as "a survivor" and "not a victim".

Holding back tears, parliament speaker John Bercow said her words had "left an indelible impression on us all" as Thomsonwas comforted by fellow MPs.

Rape Crisis Scotland national co-ordinator Sandy Brindley praised the MP for "sending a strong message".

"It is not uncommon for women to contact rape crisis many years after a rape and tell us this is the first time they have ever spoken about it," she said.

"Someone speaking so publicly about rape can send a strong message to other rape survivors - that the shame is not theirs, and it is okay to talk about it and to seek support."

During the debate, a second MP recounted how she had been the subject of an attempted rape while studying at university.

Tracy Brabin, who was recently elected to the seat vacated by the murdered Jo Cox, said the attack was "the worst thing that I could ever imagine happening to me."

"I was going to be one of those very rare statistics of a woman who is attacked by a stranger, not by someone she knows," she said. 

"The man had seen me walk past his car and had waited ahead for me to turn the corner. I was frozen in fear."

After a struggle, Brabin recalled how she was able to escape thanks to the intervention of a neighbour.

More than 70 Labour MPs earlier wrote to Prime Minister Theresa May, calling on the government  to ratify the Istanbul convention to end violence against women.