The 31-year-old waived her right to anonymity in order to “break the taboo about abuse as a whole”
PA
TV presenter Charlie Webster has revealed that she was sexually assaulted as a teenager.
The 31-year-old said she was waiving her right to anonymity in order to “break the taboo about abuse as a whole”.
The Sky Sports star bravely spoke about the assaults carried out by her athletics coach when she was 15.
"I got quite close to the running coach because you do," Webster told BBC Radio 5 live’s Phil Williams.
"You start to trust them when you're a young kid, and he started to take me for a few private sessions because he said I was good and I could do with some extra sessions because that would really help.
"He abused the fact that I was an innocent person who wanted his support and his compassion and his care as my running coach."
The man was sentenced to 10 years in jail and is on the sex offenders register for life.
Webster told 5 live: "He was a male role model to me.
"You should never touch a young girl anyway, but he very, very manipulatively and very slowly sexually assaulted me."
She said she had not told anyone at the time because she did not know it could be reported. A different younger girl originally contacted the police.
"I didn't understand. I really lacked confidence. I didn't know what he was doing was wrong."
She added: "Not one time in my head did I think 'I'm being sexually assaulted', because if I did, I would have done something about it."
Webster hopes her bravery to speak out will encourage others troubled by abuse to find their voice.
"That's why I'm here [speaking on radio] as well. It might help someone else bring it to light. I want to break the taboo about abuse as a whole,” she said.
Webster is due to embark on a 250mile, seven-day run between 40 football stadiums for charity Women’s Aid.
The 31-year-old said she was waiving her right to anonymity in order to “break the taboo about abuse as a whole”.
The Sky Sports star bravely spoke about the assaults carried out by her athletics coach when she was 15.
"I got quite close to the running coach because you do," Webster told BBC Radio 5 live’s Phil Williams.
"You start to trust them when you're a young kid, and he started to take me for a few private sessions because he said I was good and I could do with some extra sessions because that would really help.
"He abused the fact that I was an innocent person who wanted his support and his compassion and his care as my running coach."
The man was sentenced to 10 years in jail and is on the sex offenders register for life.
Webster told 5 live: "He was a male role model to me.
"You should never touch a young girl anyway, but he very, very manipulatively and very slowly sexually assaulted me."
She said she had not told anyone at the time because she did not know it could be reported. A different younger girl originally contacted the police.
"I didn't understand. I really lacked confidence. I didn't know what he was doing was wrong."
She added: "Not one time in my head did I think 'I'm being sexually assaulted', because if I did, I would have done something about it."
Webster hopes her bravery to speak out will encourage others troubled by abuse to find their voice.
"That's why I'm here [speaking on radio] as well. It might help someone else bring it to light. I want to break the taboo about abuse as a whole,” she said.
Webster is due to embark on a 250mile, seven-day run between 40 football stadiums for charity Women’s Aid.
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