Rebekah Vardy, a media celebrity who grew up as a Jehovah's Witness, claims she experienced sexual assault between the ages of 11 and 15.
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| Image Source - Google | Image by <br><a href= BBC News |
She made the allegations as part of a brand-new documentary for Channel 4 that will air on Tuesday.
She reported that the alleged assault was hushed up by "elders," senior male church leaders.
Jehovah's Witnesses stated that they "lacked the information to comment on individual cases" in a statement.
With about 8.5 million adherents worldwide, the Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian-based religious sect that holds the view that the end of the world is near.
Jehovah's Witness by upbringing, Mrs. Vardy says she hopes to be able to teach people that there is a "light at the end of the tunnel" by sharing her experiences.
Rebekah Vardy: Jehovah's Witnesses and Me, a program that will air on Channel 4 on Tuesday at 22:00 BST, features her making the charge.
Mrs. Vardy said she was "scared of the consequences" of speaking about sexual abuse due to "the fear of bringing shame on the family" in an interview with ITV's Good Morning Britain about the documentary.
In her own words, "I found this part of my life to be a bit of an obstacle, but I wanted to use this obstacle to create an opportunity to help other people who have been in similar situations and just hopefully show that there's light at the end of the tunnel," she told the program.
"I think I realized that I've probably only just begun to scratch the surface, I think my story isn't unique and there's going to be plenty of others, as have already come out, that will continue to come out," the author said.
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| Image Source - Google | Image by <br><a href= BBC News |
Members of Jehovah's Witnesses are required to adhere to a stringent moral code, which includes the notion that homosexuality is wrong. Those who do so are allegedly punished by being "disfellowshipped," or excluded from the group.
The Jehovah's Witnesses claimed in a statement to GMB that "Elders are directed to immediately report an allegation of child sexual abuse to authorities, even if there is only one complainant."
"Courts have rejected the allegation that disfellowshipping and so-called shunning results in social isolation and discrimination," the group continued. "It is simply misleading and discriminatory to imply that our religion is controlling."
Additionally, they claimed that they "lacked the knowledge to comment on specific cases."
Vardy remarked, in response to a question regarding the long-term psychological implications, "I've built a part of myself that is incredibly strong now. I face several obstacles. I don't show much emotion. I don't have a lot of emotion.
"I believe a significant portion of that is related to what I experienced in the past... It was a challenge in my life, and I want to use it to benefit others.
Jamie Vardy's wife Rebekah Vardy is well known for her involvement in the infamous Wagatha Christie trial.
After her former friend accused Mrs. Vardy of disclosing personal information about her to the public, she filed a lawsuit against Coleen Rooney for damages last year.
Rebekah Vardy's alleged abuser was not necessarily a Jehovah's Witness, though it is claimed that community members covered up the abuse. This story has been updated to reflect this.
