‘X Factor’ hopeful Honey G has claimed she was kidnapped and sexually abused as a student.
The 35-year-old wannabe rapper has revealed she was snatched in her final year at Salford University in north west England and still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
She explained: "Obviously the effect the bad experience had on me – it kind of ruined my confidence, it knocked me and basically it’s affected my whole life.
"Basically in my final year of university I was car hijacked and kidnapped and sexually assaulted.
"A man was convicted for what happened – for the crime. I’ve come through as a stronger person.
"It wasn’t that I got into the wrong crowd or anything like that."
Honey G – who compares herself to the likes of Missy Elliot and Jay Z – hopes appearing on the ITV talent show will show people that hip hop music is not linked to violence.
She told The Sun newspaper: "A lot of people say hip hop’s associated with this, that, violence and that – I don’t really look at things like that or people saying that urban music is associated with violence. It’s a stereotype. "
It comes after Honey G – whose real name is Anna Georgette Gilford – was announced as one of this year’s ‘X Factor’ wildcards in Sharon Osbourne’s Over 25s category.
Honey G joins Samantha Lavery, Ryan Lawrie, Saara Aalto and Yes Lad in the line up, after Ivy Grace Paredes had to withdraw from the competition because of visa issues.
Honey G said: "I think Ivy’s voice is incredible and she’s very talented. She definitely would have gone very far in the competition if she had stayed.
"Obviously it’s a great shame she couldn’t progress but I’m very lucky and very happy to be back in the competition, a complete stroke of luck for me. I’m not just belting out an amazing voice; I am what is happening right now in the music scene. I’m the whole shebang."
Honey G reveals she was sexually assaulted
