Singing star ‘drugged, raped and held captive’
WELSH singer Duffy has told fans that she was drugged and raped for days after being held captive.
In a post on her verified Instagram account, the star spoke about her ordeal and why she “disappeared” from the public eye for years.
She said: “You can only imagine the amount of times I thought about writing this. The way I would write it, how I would feel thereafter.
“Well, not entirely sure why now is the right time, and what it is that feels exciting and liberating for me to talk. I cannot explain it.
“Many of you wonder what happened to me, where did I disappear to and why. A journalist contacted me, he found a way to reach me and I told him everything this past summer.
“He was kind and it felt so amazing to finally speak. The truth is, and please trust me I am OK and safe now, I was raped and drugged and held captive over some days.”
Aimee Duffy, known as Duffy, became a hit across the world after shooting to fame with her single Mercy.
The Bangor born star added: “Of course I survived. The recovery took time. There’s no light way to say it. But I can tell you in the last decade, the thousands and thousands of days I committed to wanting to feel the sunshine in my heart again, the sun does now shine.
“You wonder why I did not choose to use my voice to express my pain? I did not want to show the world the sadness in my eyes.
“I asked myself, how can I sing from the heart if it is broken? And slowly it unbroke. In the following weeks I will be posting a spoken interview.
“If you have any questions I would like to answer them, in the spoken interview, if I can. I have a sacred love and sincere appreciation for your kindness over the years. You have been friends. I want to thank you for that. Please respect this is a gentle move for me to make, for myself, and I do not want any intrusion to my family. Please support me to make this a positive experience.”
The Western Mail has contacted Duffy for comment about the post from her Instagram account.
The post comes a few weeks after Duffy hinted on social media that she may return to music in 2020.
Her last album, Endlessly was released in 2010 – the same year that she made her film debut.