Reality TV star and model Katie Price publicly named the famous man who allegedly raped her two decades ago on stage this week, after first talking about the experience in 2009
Model Katie Price publicly named the British celebrity she says allegedly raped her over 20 years ago during her ongoing UK theatre tour with Kerry Katona.
On stage at her An Evening with Katie Price and Kerry Katona show in Stockport earlier this week, the mum-of-five, 47, is said to have “blurted out” the identity of the famous man who allegedly attacked her two decades ago.
But while this is the first time Katie has named her alleged rapist, she has previously discussed the attack and shared why she never reported the man to the police.
In 2009, Katie wrote about being attacked by a “famous celebrity” in her column for a national magazine. Katie, who was 31 at the time, said she had no plans to make a formal complaint and would “absolutely never” name the man.
Following the column gaining national attention, Surrey Police released a statement. The force confirmed that they had recorded an incident but no allegation had been made and they did not plan to investigate unless Katie voluntarily came forward.
A spokesman said at the time: “Surrey Police treats all reports of sexual offences very seriously and investigates them thoroughly, encouraging anyone who may have been a victim to come forward and providing specialist officers to support them.
“Based on our enquiries and the lack of substantiated information – particularly around locations and dates of any allegations – we have recorded an incident, but due to its very historic nature we are dependent on Miss Price’s co-operation to formally record a crime and continue any investigation.”
Katie discussed the rape again in 2017, saying: “I was raped by a celebrity but no, I’ll never name him, I just don’t want the drama. I don’t even know if he knows that I’ve spoken about him, I doubt he does.”
In 2019, 55,259 rapes were reported across the country, but during the same period, there were just 1,659 rape prosecutions and 702 convictions.
Speaking to the Mirror in 2023, Jayne Butler, CEO for Rape Crisis, explained to the Mirror why many women don’t have faith in the police and current legal system when it comes to reporting cases of rape and sexual abuse.
“5 in 6 women who are raped don’t report it to the police, citing embarrassment, not thinking the police will be able to help, and feeling humiliated as reasons why,” she told us.
But it’s not just a lack of hope that reporting your assault will result in a conviction that puts some victims off speaking to authorities. RASA Merseyside, who work with victims of sexual violence to give them back the life they had, told us how “shame, guilt, fear of friends and family finding out and blaming them, losing friends, not being believed, losing phone, fear of medical exam, and so much more” also plays a part when decided not to report rape to the police.
“Imagine telling a complete stranger about the worst and most intimate thing that has ever happened to you. Imagine knowing that this complete stranger will not be there to believe you or to support you, but to ascertain if you are telling the truth. Imagine that first contact,” the organisation based in Bootle, Liverpool tells us when discussing why some rape victims don’t feel comfortable speaking to the police.
“None of us know how we would react until it happens to us but it is unlikely and unrealistic to expect that the first thing we would want to do is tell a stranger – and one who may simply see it as yet another case that day.”
*If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Source: Mirror
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