Poldark star Ciara Charteris shares story of her rape to ‘take the power back’ from her attacker

Ciara Charteris has shared the story of a rape she experienced five years ago by a close friend.

The actor, who starred as Emma Tregirls in hit show Poldark, wrote about her experience in an open letter for I Am Arla – a support network for survivors of abuse, trauma and discrimination.

In the letter, Charteris described her attacker as someone “slightly older” whom she had known since she was 16 and said that the rape happened after a night out to celebrate her best friend's birthday in 2015.

She went on to explain that “for numerous (and common) reasons at the time” she chose not to report her rapist and instead decided “to deal with it by never seeing or speaking to him again”.

But in December 2019, after discovering that a close of friend of hers who knew about the assault had started socialising with her attacker once more, Charteris realised that “he was exploiting a freedom" she had given him and decided to take action.

“It was one thing to deal with the post-traumatic stress of being physically violated by someone I trusted, but quite another when the person who had stood by me through it all, whom I trusted the most, suddenly decided to turn a blind eye to it. This broke me,” the actor wrote.

“Finally, I was forced to face what had happened and the trauma I had tried to bury away for years.”

Charteris said the experience left her feeling suicidal and after taking advice from the charity Rape Crisis, she spoke to the police. However, in March officers said they were taking the matter no further.

While the actor said she was not surprised by the police's decision, she admitted that it still “hit hard”.

“I knew the chances of a conviction were next to none, I only had to look at the statistics, but I wanted to add to them, and put his name firmly on the system,” she wrote.

In the open letter, the 25-year-old also explained why she decided to publicly share her story, saying she hopes it might make more survivors feel comfortable about coming forward.

“I have an experience, I have a voice, and I want to use it for the better of my community,” Charteris said.

“It is important to me that I use my experience in any way I can to help others, and join the fight for much-needed change. I am willing to take the risk and accept the consequences that may come.”

She concluded the letter by praising the work of charities such as Rape Crisis and movement’s including #MeToo and #TimesUp, before sharing some words of encouragement to fellow survivors.

“When it comes to sexual assault and rape, I am not the worst case, I am not the first case, and sadly I will not be the last. But I am done letting the weakness of others define me,” she wrote.

“No matter what difficulties life chucks at us, I believe with honesty and kindness at the heart we are all undefeatable.”

Tom York, Charteris's co-star in Poldark, recently took to social media to praise his “dear friend” for sharing her story.

“This has been a huge decision for her, an incredibly brave one, and I deeply admire her for it,” he wrote on Instagram.

“I hope to anyone else who has suffered rape, Ciara’s story can help by showing, you are not alone, and that it was not your fault. To everyone else.. it is an eye-opening account, not only of violation, but of losing those friends closest to you as a result. Please take time to hear her story.”

You can find more information and advice for people affected by rape and sexual abuse at Rape Crisis or you can call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247.