Grace Keeling, known as GK Barry, has revealed she was raped at the age of 17 while on a work experience placement, and has spoken publicly about the ordeal for the first time in her new book. The 27-year-old podcaster and TV star says she hopes sharing her experience will help other women avoid the same agony she endured.
Traumatic experience included in new book
Keeling, who rose to fame via TikTok in 2022 and later appeared on ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, says her book, It's Giving Life: A Guide To Surviving And Thriving by GK Barry, is not an autobiography. However, it includes deeply personal stories, including the assaults she experienced at 17 while doing work experience for a media company near her childhood home in Suffolk.
She admits it took her years to acknowledge what had happened to her. She decided to include the ordeal in her book after becoming aware of statistics that reveal almost a quarter of women have been raped or sexually assaulted from the age of 16.
Social media post and charity support
Posting on social media, Keeling opened up to her followers, writing: "This is the first time I've spoken about a chapter in my book that I've never shared publicly before. When I was 17 I was raped and I've spent the last 10 years not telling anyone out of fear."
She added: "I have been extremely nervous about speaking about this and for a long time tried to push it to one side and not think about it but I hope by speaking about it it might help others to know they can too, and it wasn't their fault."
Keeling also mentioned she has been speaking with the charity Rape Crisis, saying: "I've been speaking with an amazing charity Rape Crisis who I wish I'd known about at the time. They offer 24/7 support and advice if anyone needs it."
Details of the assault in the book
In the book, Keeling describes the first assault, which happened when her manager during a week of work experience offered to give her a lift on her second day. She writes that he kept touching her leg, making her feel uncomfortable, though she felt unable to ask him to stop. She notes there was a "massive imbalance of power" which he was taking advantage of.
The rape took place on the last day of her week with the company. She writes: "At 4pm on my last day, he kicked out the two other members of staff who were there, leaving only me and him in the building... He signals me towards a side room, making a point of saying there are no cameras in there... And then he rapes me. It's taken me a long time – years, in fact – to realise that's what it was."
She reflects: "I wish I'd known that it wasn't my fault. I wish I'd known what to be on guard for. I'd had no idea that rape can take so many different forms and it doesn't always look the way you expect."
The book is published by Penguin. Keeling explains in a statement: "I should probably tell you what this book isn't. It's not an autobiography (I'm still too fresh out the womb) or self-development guide (er, be real)." She adds: "I'm laying every last bit of personal trauma out there for the greater good of humanity which basically makes me a saint and you can thank me later."
For anyone affected by sexual assault, help and resources are available via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999.
