Ken Clarke’s original comments came in a BBC Radio 5 live interview with Victoria Derbyshire Justice Secretary Ken Clarke will face more questions over his comments on rape on BBC’s Question Time later, which comes from inside a prison.
In a BBC radio interview about sentencing he referred to “serious rape” – suggesting some rapes were less serious than others.
Mr Clarke later he had used the “wrong choice of words”.
Question Time will be broadcast from Wormwood Scrubs in west London, with inmates included in the audience.
Mr Clarke was confronted on the radio phone-in show by sex attack victim Gabrielle Browne.
Mrs Browne, who has waived her right to anonymity, told the Daily Telegraph: “Ken Clarke didn’t listen. His comment about not all rapes really being rape was disgraceful for a man in his position, a man of previous ministerial experience and previous experience as a barrister.
“He did not show empathy or understanding. If he can’t open his eyes and ears and listen and see life from a victim’s perspective then he should resign.”
Mr Clarke has not apologised for his remarks in general, but he has written to Mrs Browne saying: “I have always believed that all rape is extremely serious, and must be treated as such.
“I am sorry if my comments gave you any other impression or upset you.”
Labour leader Ed Miliband had said Mr Clarke should quit for effectively suggesting there were “other categories of rape”.
David Cameron told MPs rape was “one of the most serious crimes that there is and it should be met with proper punishment” and the “real disgrace” was that only 6% of reported rape cases ended in a conviction.
The prime minister’s spokesman said it was “clearly regrettable” if anybody had been offended by Mr Clarke’s comments but said the PM had confidence in him.
The row began on Wednesday morning with remarks Mr Clarke gave in an interview on BBC Radio 5 live about proposals under consultation to halve jail terms for people who plead guilty early, including rapists.
Mr Clarke seemed to make a distinction between sentencing for different kinds of rape crimes.
In later interviews Mr Clarke said the “most extraordinary spin” had been put on his comments and he had been responding to average sentence figures that were put to him.
The Question Time audience will include 10 inmates and 10 prison staff as well as 100 members of the public.
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