Social media star GK Barry reveals she was raped at 17 by older boss
She said the assault took place when she was on work experience, but she felt she had to continue the placement over fears that quitting would prevent her from getting into university
Social media influencer and media personality GK Barry has shared she was raped when she was 17 in the hopes of inspiring other victims to speak out.
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The 27-year-old podcaster, whose real name is Grace Keeling, shared the information in a social media post on Saturday, saying she had previously felt unable to talk about the incident out of fear.
Keeling said this is the first time she has been able to speak publicly about the assault.
“When I was 17 I was raped and I’ve spent the last 10 years not telling anyone out of fear,” she wrote online.
"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."
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“I also hope this can help other people not be in the same situation that I was in.
“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.”
Keeling added that she previously told just five people about the incident, including her parents and girlfriend, and vowed to move on and pretend it didn’t happen.
The social media star said the rape happened during her second year of college during her work experience, beginning when an older male boss offered to drive her into work when she couldn’t get a lift.
In her book, Keeling added that he kept touching her leg and making her "uncomfortable" but that she didn’t feel able to ask him to stop.
He then drove them to an empty park, instead of taking her to the office, where he then demanded that 17-year-old Keeling 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.
Following the incident, Keeling continued her work experience over fears that quitting would prevent her from getting into university after failing her course.
On her final day, Keeling was then cornered by the same individual and taken to a room after everyone else had been sent home.
He locked the door, told her to remove her jeans, and assaulted her, leaving her bleeding and in pain.
Keeling added that it has taken her 10 years for her to come to terms with the fact she was raped, originally blaming herself for the attack and thinking that she "should have said no firmer”.
Keeling said she did report the case to the police around the time of the event, but was informed by a female police officer that a lack of "evidence" limited the chances of a conviction.
Keeling rose to fame during the Covid-19 pandemic after posting viral content on TikTok, and has gone on to launch her own podcast, Saving Grace.
She has since became the youngest regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women, as well as appearing on ITV's I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2024.
Contact the Rape Crisis Centre at 0808 500 222