Ashley James, the 38-year-old This Morning presenter, has publicly shared her experience of being raped at age 21 while attending Nottingham University.
The assault took place nearly 20 years ago after a night out at a club. A male friend raped her while she was unconscious. James states the trauma haunts her every day, especially since becoming a mother to five-year-old Alfie and two-year-old Ada.
She describes the incident as one of the darkest moments of her life and deeply traumatic.
Motivation to Share Her Story
James stresses she shares this not for shock value but to highlight how widespread such assaults are and the flaws in victim support systems.
Inspiration from Gisele Pelicot’s Case
James found motivation in Gisele Pelicot, the 73-year-old French woman whose husband’s repeated rapes and involvement of others drew global attention last year. Pelicot’s powerful words, ‘Shame must change sides,’ struck a chord with James.
James seeks to dispel myths that rapists are solely strangers or rare offenders.
‘Sexual assault is an area where there’s still a lot of shame and taboo,’ she stated.
‘The system still doesn’t support women. It almost feels like the woman is put on trial more than the man who is accused of rape.’
Urging Cultural and Educational Shifts
James argues society has not advanced enough on these issues. She calls for educating girls against self-blame and boys on consent and rejection.
‘It’s a culture that is still not giving boys the tools to learn how to navigate rejection or how to really understand what consent is. We still ask questions like, “What was she wearing? Was she drunk?” Most of us have stories.’
Insights from Her Book ‘Bimbo’
In her new book Bimbo, the star from Celebrity Big Brother and Made in Chelsea details years of shame, silence, and her drive to reshape discussions on victim-blaming and doubting women.
The friendship with her attacker complicated processing the event, leading to self-blame.
On not reporting: ‘I didn’t come forward. Not because I thought the police wouldn’t believe me or that the courts would fail me, but because the man wasn’t a stranger in a dark alley. He was a friend. And because of that, the only person I blamed was myself. For years. Even after it happened, I was more worried about him not liking me than I was about my own trauma. I was worried he’d tell other people and everyone would think I was a s**g.’
James remained silent and even tried maintaining the friendship. She still struggles to view him as a rapist, despite her unconscious state and lack of consent.
‘Even though that’s what he was, because I wasn’t asking for it. In fact, I was unconscious.’
‘I’d worry about ruining his life. Yes, I was drunk. Yes, I was wearing going-out clothes, having come from a club. But I was with friends — people I trusted.’
‘We don’t teach girls that, one day, if they get the chance, their male friends might try to rape them.’
‘It doesn’t matter what you are wearing [or] if you had zero drinks or 1,000 drinks.’
James urges parents to stop advising daughters to alter behaviors for safety and others to cease questioning victims’ clothing.
Alarming Sexual Assault Statistics
The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates 900,000 people aged 16 and over faced sexual assault in the year ending March 2025: 739,000 females and 162,000 males.
Rape reports have risen sharply. In 2023, London saw over 8,800 cases reported to the politan Police—one every hour, or 24 daily.
The force reports rape charges have doubled since 2022 amid efforts to better address sexual violence and support victims.
Charities describe the numbers as horrifying, warning that unreported cases likely push the true figure higher.
Help for Rape Victims
Support exists for recent or past rape victims. If at immediate risk, dial 999 for police.
Ensure personal safety first. To report, call 999 or the non-emergency line 101. Independent Sexual Violence Advocates guide the process; withdrawal remains an option anytime.
To preserve evidence, avoid washing, bathing, or changing clothes if possible—bag worn items.
Alternatives include confiding in a trusted person or contacting helplines. Rape Crisis offers 24/7 support at 0808 500 2222 or online chat for those 16+.
For injuries, visit A&E. Otherwise, seek a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC); NHS details nearest locations.
Historic rapes have no reporting deadline—evidence can still apply.
Victim Support assists survivors at 0333 300 6389.
