Loose Women’s Saira Khan cries as she reveals she was sexually abused by family member as a teenager
Brave TV presenter tearfully spoke out on Thursday's show
TEARFUL Saira Khan has revealed she was inappropriately touched by a family member as a teenager.
The star spoke out on Thursday's Loose Women as the panel spoke about US Glamour magazine's choice of Women of the Year.
Saira spoke out about Mukhtar Mai, a Pakistani woman she felt should have been included in the list, after she was gang raped in her village and forced to walk naked through the streets.
While the star said many women in that situation would have committed suicide from the shame, Mukhtar remained strong and her story inspired her to tell her own traumatic tale.
As the tears fell, Saira said: "It just brings tears to my eyes, in 2002 she was gang raped under orders of her local village because her brother had had an inappropriate relationship with somebody.
"She went on to set up a charity in Pakistan to help women like that, which is phenomenal.
"I’ve never talked about this, this woman inspired me, but I want any woman out there that is going through what I went through at 13-years-old, sitting in my bedroom, a male member of my family – he’s died now – came in and did things.
"I would never have talked about it but I felt like I had to after what is going on with this woman.";
As she struggled to speak, Linda Robson and Nadia Sawalha got up and came round to give her a hug.
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Saira continued: "She inspired me to talk about something that happened to me that is wrong, it is not culturally acceptable, it is not religiously acceptable.
"It happens every day in our homes not just in Pakistani villages."
As Saira struggled to compose herself, the audience stood up and gave her a standing ovation for her bravery.
With her co-stars rallying round her, Saira added: "Culturally we can’t talk about it. I told my mum and brother since then, but culturally we’re seen as the ones who inspired it in the first place, there’s no help.
"I told my mother years ago and she was amazing, my brothers were too.
"I talk about it now because this man is dead, and I feel like I’ve got one over on him, but reading this woman’s story today inspired me not to keep it a private thing."