Rebekah Vardy 'attempted suicide at 14' after her 'mum didn't believe she had been sexually abused'
16 May 2023, 13:02 | Updated: 16 May 2023, 13:04
Rebekah Vardy has revealed she attempted suicide at 14 and ended up homeless after her mum 'did not believe that she had been sexually abused at a young age'.
Ms Vardy, wife of Leicester City footballer Jamie Vardy, left the Jehovah's Witness community after being "shamed" for the sexual abuse, she has claimed.
Ms Vardy also claims to have been shunned by the community alongside family members after her parents got divorced.
Speaking ahead of the release of a new documentary detailing the abuse, Ms Vardy said that one of the most "harrowing" aspects of her abuse was her mum not believing her.
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"I was controlled and ultimately I was scared of what the consequences of speaking out would actually do," Ms Vardy told GMB.
Speaking about how she is dealing with long-term effects after attempting suicide and being homeless, she continued: "The honest answer is, I don't know.
"It's one of these things that you use as a tool, for me, I've created part of myself that is really strong now...I don't have a relationship with my mum.
"The breakdown of the relationship with my mum was ultimately the abuse and not being believed when you take something like that to one of your parents is the most harrowing experience."
Those feeling distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
In the documentary Ms Vardy returns to Norwich, where several members of her family still live as Jehovah's Witnesses, and with whom she has had little contact since leaving the community.
She says: "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."
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A spokesperson for the Jehovah's Witnesses said: "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 spokesperson also said that church elders are told to report any allegations of child sexual abuse to the authorities immediately, even if there is only one complainant.
They added that it is "false and offensive" to imply that they block the authorities from investigating.
But the spokesperson said they could not comment on individual cases.
