TV star and influencer GK Barry has opened up about being raped aged 17 by an older boss.
The TikTok sensation, who rose to online fame during the pandemic, is known for her sarcastic, dry humour and hilarious stories.
However, behind the hilarious podcast host persona is a trauma she’s never shared until now.
GK, real name Grace Keeling, 27, has spoken out about her sexual assault to send an important message to other women, particularly her young audience, saying it’ll be ‘worth it’ if it helps ‘even one of them’.
The I’m A Celebrity campmate had previously told just five people, including her parents and girlfriend, what she went through and vowed to move on, pretending it didn’t happen.
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Now, in an interview with Fabulous magazine, Grace has explained that she decided to write about the harrowing experience in her new book, It’s Giving Life.
The social media personality said: ‘I always thought rape was someone in a dark alleyway jumping out at you – but it wasn’t like that at all.’
She recalled that the rape happened during her second year of college during her work experience, with the manager she was reporting to (who was 10 years her senior) once offering to drive her in when she couldn’t get a lift.
Grace pens in her book that he kept ‘touching [her] leg’ and making her ‘uncomfortable’, noting that there was a major ‘power imbalance’ and she didn’t feel able to ask him to stop.
Instead of taking her to the office, he drove them to an empty park, where he demanded she give him oral sex.
‘I didn’t know what else to do except go along with what he was telling me. Resisting or fighting back felt like it might make things worse,’ she said.
‘There was never a moment in my mind where I thought I could say no to what was happening. I was only 17 and scared. I wasn’t able to process the situation and think logically.’
Grace continued her work experience, fearful that quitting would mean she wouldn’t get into university after failing her course.
