The social media star has spoken about her rape hell after a decade, saying she ‘tried to push it to one side and not think about it’
Social media star and podcaster GK Barry, 27, has revealed she was raped aged 17 and stayed silent for a decade out of fear.
The 27-year-old media personality, whose real name is Grace Keeling, said in a post on Saturday (August 29) that she had felt unable to talk about her assault.
The podcaster said this is the first time she has been able to speak publicly about the assault and hopes it helps others who also felt unable to speak out. She said: “When I was 17 I was raped and I’ve spent the last 10 years not telling anyone out of fear.
“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.
“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.” She rose to fame during the Covid-19 lockdown after posting content on TikTok where she quickly became known for her self-deprecating humour and unfiltered stories.
She has since gone on to launch her own podcast, titled Saving Grace, and became the youngest regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women. Keeling also appeared on the ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2024.
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics and the Crown Prosecution Service lay bare the scale of rape and sexual offences across the UK – and show why the true picture is believed to be far worse than the number of crimes logged by police.
Because so many victims never come forward, official statistics are split between Police Recorded Crime (what is reported) and the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), which estimates prevalence through anonymous surveys.
Taken together, they suggest sexual violence remains both widespread and heavily underreported. In the year ending March 2026, police recorded 74,727 rape offences across England and Wales – a 4% rise on the previous year and the highest total ever recorded.
In the same period, overall police-recorded sexual offences hit 217,567, meaning rape accounted for around a third (about 34%) of all recorded sexual crimes. But survey data indicates the problem stretches far beyond what reaches the criminal justice system.
Rape Crisis runs a 24-hour rape and sexual abuse support line which can be reached in England and Wales on 0808 500 2222, Scotland on 0808 801 0302 and Northern Ireland on 0800 024 6991.
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