Pop star Duffy has revealed she was “raped and drugged” after being held captive by an attacker.
WATCH: Singer Duffy admits to being very ‘self critical’ after winning 3 BRIT Awards.
The 35-year-old Welsh singer, who came to fame in 2008 with her hugely successful debut album Rockferry, posted a statement about her ordeal on her verified Instagram account.
She told fans that she is “OK and safe now” after being “raped and drugged and held captive”.
Her full statement reads: “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.
“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 x Duffy.”
She went on to add how she hoped her fans would be supportive.
“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.”
Duffy – whose real name is Aimee Anne Duffy – went to number one in 12 countries with Mercy.
The singer, from Nefyn in Gwynedd, Wales, then enjoyed success with her first album Rockferry as it became the UK’s biggest selling album of 2008.
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au, or 1800RESPECT 1800respect.org.au.
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