Rebekah Vardy in tears in first interview after Wagatha Christie trial

WAG Rebekah Vardy left the Jehovah’s Witness church aged 15 after a heavily censored childhood which did not include birthdays or Christmases.

The 41-year-old claims that her family’s life was governed by “elders”, senior male leaders of the church who “watch over” the congregation.

Mother-of-five Ms Vardy has now branded the religion a “dangerous cult” as she alleged that elders failed to support her when she was sexually abused.

Rebekah claims that a friend of her family, who was not a Jehovah’s Witness, sexually abused her for three years when she was just a girl.

She confided in her mother who “didn’t believe” her and sought guidance from “numerous members of the Jehovah’s Witness community”.

Rebekah claims that it was suggested that she had “misinterpreted abuse as a form of affection”.

Speaking in her upcoming Channel 4 documentary, Rebekah said: “What happened to me during my childhood still affects me every single day.

“From the age of around 12 years old, I was being abused. And instead of being supported, I was blamed, manipulated into believing it wasn’t the best thing to take it to the police.”

The decision was detrimental for Rebekah and she says she attempted suicide at the age of 14. She was then made homeless a year later after a huge family row.

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Eventually, in adulthood, she went to the police herself. Her abuser confessed on the first day of his trial and was given a suspended sentence.

As of now, she has not spoken to her mother for seven years, which she is “at peace with”.

In a new interview with the Mail On Sunday, Rebekah described the church as “traumatic” and claims she spent her childhood living in fear.

She said: “[I was] told we were going to die in Armageddon if we didn’t pray enough. I felt I had to constantly strive for perfection so that God would not be angry with me.”

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have not responded to Express.co.uk’s request for comment but told Channel 4 that elders are directed to immediately report an allegation of child sexual abuse to authorities.

They also said it is “false and offensive” to imply that they stand in the way of authorities.

The church rejected the suggestion “that disfellowshipping and so-called shunning results in social isolation and discrimination.

“And it is simply misleading and discriminatory to imply that our religion is controlling.”

Rebekah Vardy: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Me airs on May 16 at 10pm on Channel 4.

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