TikTok superstar Loren Gray has revealed her heartbreaking story of assault as a child, claiming that she was aware of threats to expose it publicly, posting a video to raise awareness.
Loren Gray is the second most-followed creator on TikTok, behind only Charli D’Amelio, and for a long time held the number one spot.
On May 1, Gray posted a short TikTok video, stating “I want to tell you my real story,” with the caption “when I say you have helped me more than you know, I truly mean it.”
In the video, she explains that at the age of 13, she was assaulted by someone she trusted. “I had my innocence stolen from me in the basement of someone I trusted,” she said, “I struggled to put the pieces together as to why this had happened to me.”
Initially only telling her best friend, Gray explains that it took two months before telling her parents. “I felt dirty, hopeless, broken, and worthless. I was confused and scared. I felt like it was my fault.”
Loren goes on to explain that as she was homeschooled, she began making videos to help pass the time and to escape the isolation. “People were watching my videos, and although I was struggling, I felt like I had finally found people who cared, regardless of my situation.”
In a follow-up post on Twitter, Gray reveals that she felt forced to tell the story after it came to her attention that someone else knew, and it would potentially be exposed beyond control.
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“I received a message that somehow, someone knew. But I know how fast word travels and I wanted to be the one to tell my story,” she explained. “Although I hate that I felt forced into sharing this prematurely, I have no regrets because I’m no longer ashamed.”
Gray concluded by expressing her hope that “this can shed some light on the gravity of sexual assault, and provide some hope for anyone who can relate.”
thank you. pic.twitter.com/s3qDMXadfu
— Loren Gray (@iamlorengray) May 2, 2020
Who is Loren Gray?
If you’re not familiar with the stars of TikTok, you soon will be. At only 18 years old, Loren Gray is one of many rising stars on the platform who are now becoming global celebrities.
With over 42.8 million followers on the platform, she has gone from strength to strength in her content creation, also boasting a YouTube channel with over 3.7 million subscribers.
She is also signed to Virgin Records and Capitol Records as a recording artist, releasing her latest single, Can’t Do It, featured rapper Saweetie, in July 2019.