Rebekah Vardy has opened up about the alleged sexual abuse she suffered as a child.
In a new Channel 4 documentary, called Rebekah Vardy: Jehovah’s Witnesses And Me, the 41-year-old claims she was sexually abused by an individual between the ages of 11 to 15.
The wife of footballer Jamie Vardy was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, but left at the age of 15.
In the documentary, Rebekah claims the community failed to support her when she told them about the alleged abuse.Â
In response to her claims, Jehovah’s Witnesses said ‘elders’ are directed to immediately report an allegation of child sexual abuse to the authorities even if there is only one complainant.
In the programme, Rebekah alleged: “I was brought up in a strict and controlling religious organisation. What happened to me during my childhood still affects me every single day.”
“From the age of around 12 years old I was being abused and instead of being supported I was blamed, manipulated into believing it wasn’t the best thing to take it to the police.”
“I told my mum about the abuse that I was experiencing. She cried, but didn’t believe me.
“I told numerous members of my family, Jehovah’s Witness community, and they called a meeting, I think I was about 15, it was suggested that I had misinterpreted the abuse for a form of affection.
“I knew that I hadn’t, I was well aware of what was right and what was wrong, and it was explained that I could bring shame on my family, and I was basically manipulated into believing it wasn’t the best thing to do to take it any further and take it to the police,” Rebekah alleged.
“It’s hard to see how I survived that.”
In the documentary, the mother-of-five met other former Jehovah’s Witnesses, including the mother of a man who took his own life after he was allegedly expelled by the organisation.
In a statement to Channel 4, Jehovah’s Witnesses added: “Courts have rejected the allegation that disfellowshipping and so-called shunning results in social isolation and discrimination.”
“And it is simply misleading and discriminatory to imply that our religion is controlling.”
The documentary is set to air on Channel 4 on Tuesday night.
