As the conversation around sexual violence against women continues to dominate the headlines the world over, actress Laila Rouass has come forward to share her experience of rape.

Laila – best known for her roles in ‘Footballers’ Wives’ and, more recently, the Netflix drama ‘Safe’ – tweeted about her experience of sexual assault at the hands of someone she knew.

Noting she felt “encouraged” to see the news of Bill Cosby’s sentencing, she said that when she reported her own rape, she was discouraged by officials to take the matter any further.

She tweeted: “I was raped by someone I knew and once I found the courage to report it to the police I was advised by them not to take it any further because it would be unlikely to get a conviction.” 

Laila added that she “shed so many tears” over the ordeal, also “liking” several messages from supporters, one of which assured her that her attacker “will pay [and] is paying”.

In 2004, Laila made her debut as Bollywood actress Amber Gates in ‘Footballers’ Wives’, later landed a role in ‘Holby City’. She later finished in fourth place on the seventh series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.

Now engaged to snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan, Laila made headlines last year when she tweeted about having been “caught up” in a terror attack in Barcelona.

During the incident, she was forced to hide in a restaurant freezer to stay safe, after a van drove onto a busy street in the city centre.

• Rape Crisis services for women and girls who have been raped or have experienced sexual violence – 0808 802 9999
• Survivors UK offers support for men and boys – 0203 598 3898