Ashley James Details Shocking School Harassment and University Rape in New Book
Television presenter and activist Ashley James, aged 38, has made startling revelations about the sexism and harassment she endured during her school years, including an inappropriate comment from a male teacher when she was just 15 years old. In her newly released book titled Bimbo, James critically examines the societal labels imposed on women and deconstructs patriarchal systems and language. During a recent appearance on the Made by Mammas podcast, she opened up about her experiences at an all-boys school where she was one of only 37 female students recently enrolled.
Teacher's Disturbing 'Mud Wrestling' Game Fantasy
Ashley James recounted a particularly disturbing incident involving a male teacher who approached her and a friend at age 15. The teacher disclosed that he and his colleagues had devised a game where they imagined James and her friend mud wrestling while naked. "I tell the story in Bimbo," James stated. "But I even had a male teacher say to me and my friend when we were 15 and say 'Oh yeah, I just went for lunch with the boys, and we've come up with a new game'. We decided that we're going to do mud wrestling and we're going to slide you and your friend in the mud naked and see who can go the furthest'. A teacher said that. And we were 15." This was not an isolated case of harassment at the institution.
Systemic Harassment and 'De-kegging' Incidents
James further described a culture of harassment where older male students, particularly members of the first 15 rugby team, would target younger female students in a practice known as 'de-kegging'. This involved charging at girls to pull their trousers down, often leaving them terrified and humiliated. "I remember, like, one time being on my period. So I must have been like, 15/16. I was on my period, and I also, like, hadn't shaved, which, when you're like, 15/16, was like, the worst thing ever," she recalled. "And I remember thinking, 'Oh, my God, if they pull my pants down there, like, what if my tampon string or my pad is showing and, like, haven't shaved'. And I just remember, like, the fear of... I have to try and run, and then being in the recovery position, trying to cling on to my tracksuit bottoms as they would try to get them down." Shockingly, teachers often blamed the girls for seeking attention if they reacted by screaming or laughing.
Double Standards and Victim Blaming at School
The environment at the school was marked by glaring double standards, as Ashley James highlighted. When a male student exposed himself in an incident referred to as 'pulling a Mooney', and a female student responded by flashing her bra, the girls were admonished for not behaving like 'ladies'. "We were told like 'boys can get away with that. You have to learn to be a lady, and that is not an appropriate way to respond as a lady'," James explained. "So I think it was all very confusing." This culture of victim blaming and sexism has had lasting impacts on her.
Brave Disclosure of University Rape Experience
In a deeply personal and courageous move, Ashley James also reveals in her book that she was raped by a male friend at the age of 21 while studying at Nottingham University. The assault occurred after a night out when she was unconscious. "It was one of the very worst moments of my life. It was hugely traumatic," she wrote. "I’m not telling the story to shock but as a mirror to show how common these experiences are – and also how broken the support system is." James did not report the rape because the perpetrator was a friend, making it difficult for her to label him as a rapist and leading her to internalize the blame.
Impact and Call for Change
Ashley James hopes that sharing her stories will foster a broader conversation about sexual harassment, rape, and victim blaming. "We don’t teach girls that, one day, if they get the chance, their male friends might try to rape them…" she continued. "It doesn’t matter what you are wearing [or] if you had zero drinks or 1,000 drinks." Her book Bimbo aims to challenge patriarchal norms and support survivors in speaking out. For those affected by sexual assault, resources like Rape Crisis offer support through their helpline and online chat services.
