‘I was raped and abused, but God has got me through’
from Premier Christianity:
Sam Hailes talks to ‘Ella’ – a survivor of sexual abuse committed by Pakistani Muslim grooming gangs in the Rotherham area.
Ella (not her real name) was brought up in what she describes as a normal, middle class, loving family near Rotherham, Yorkshire. A strong Christian faith was instilled in Ella at an early age, leading her to make a commitment to Christ at a Christian holiday camp, age 15. Ella was minding her own business in a local café when an older Pakistani man struck up a conversation with her.
“He asked me out and I thought, ‘he’s not the Christian guy I imagined I’d want to go on a date with, but I shouldn’t be racist’. So I agreed. He was very romantic, giving me presents and buying me clothes.”
The man came across as “interesting and friendly”. The pair continued to date, with Ella feeling flattered.
“Within a few months the relationship became physical, which I was conflicted about because I didn’t believe in sex before marriage. One thing led to another and I found myself in that situation.
Within a few weeks it quickly turned into a horrendous series of very violent rapes, which went on for nearly a year.”
See also: The betrayed girls: an authoritative film of Rochdale grooming scandal, by Michael Hogan, Telegraph