Harding accuses ex-husband, others of rape

NEW YORK, May 16 (UPI) -- Tonya Harding's former husband and two other men raped her and threatened her life years ago, the controversial U.S. figure skater has alleged.

Harding confirmed that author Lynda D. Prouse was accurate in her book, "The Tonya Tapes: The Tonya Harding Story in Her Own Voice," when she detailed the violent incident which allegedly included Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, The (Portland) Oregonian said Friday.

"Jeff and two guys, don't know who they were, because I couldn't see who they were, they were in a different car, decided to drive me up to the mountains, put a gun to my head and take themselves upon me," Prouse wrote of Harding's alleged experience. "They told me, 'This is what you're going to say, this is what you're going to do, and if you don't, you're not going to be here any more.'"

The 37-year-old former figure skater, who was accused of having Gillooly attack Olympic rival Nancy Kerrigan in 1994, said fear previously kept her from reporting the rape.

The Oregonian said Harding has also alleged that in 1991, she was raped by another acquaintance and in addition was molested as a child by a relative.