Duffy Has Shared Her Kidnap And Rape Ordeal In The Hope Of Helping Others

*Trigger warning this post contains information about sexual assault*

It has been just over a month since singer Duffy bravely revealed the reason behind her absence

from the music scene in recent years.

Sharing the reason on her Instagram account, she said that she was kidnapped, drugged, and raped some years ago and that soon she would open up about her story in a bid to move on from her dark past.

Duffy has now done just that, sharing a black and white picture of herself on her social media with a link leading to a blog where the 35-year-old shared her story in detail.

It begins:

“It troubles me that this story contains sorrow, when so many need the opposite of that at this time. I can only hope that my words serve as a momentary distraction or maybe even some comfort that one can come out of darkness.

“…If you are reading this, I must warn you it contains information some may find upsetting. This story is not going anywhere, it will remain online, if you are not able to take on someone else’s suffering or the recounting of such, I recommend you do not read on.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-nNtaCBYR6/

Continuing, Duffy then explains the traumatic event which led her to remain silent for years and even make her consider changing her name.

“It was my birthday, I was drugged at a restaurant, I was drugged then for four weeks and travelled to a foreign country. I can’t remember getting on the plane and came round in the back of a travelling vehicle. I was put into a hotel room and the perpetrator returned and raped me. I remember the pain and trying to stay conscious in the room after it happened. I was stuck with him for another day, he didn’t look at me, I was to walk behind him, I was somewhat conscious and withdrawn. I could have been disposed of by him. I contemplated running away to the neighbouring city or town, as he slept, but had no cash and I was afraid he would call the police on me, for running away, and maybe they would track me down as a missing person.

“I do not know how I had the strength to endure those days, I did feel the presence of something that helped me stay alive. I flew back with him, I stayed calm and as normal as someone could in a situation like that, and when I got home, I sat, dazed, like a zombie. I knew my life was in immediate danger, he made veiled confessions of wanting to kill me. With what little strength I had, my instinct was to then run, to run and find somewhere to live that he could not find.”

The Welsh singer says that she got away by fleeing, but doesn’t go into detail about how exactly she returned home.

Bravely, Duffy says that she wants to use her own traumatic ordeal to help others who have experienced similar abuse,

“I hope it comforts you to feel less ashamed if you feel alone.

“I can now leave this decade behind. Where the past belongs. Hopefully no more “what happened to Duffy questions”, now you know … and I am free.”

You can read Duffy’s full account here.

If you have been affected by Duffy’s story and are in need of advice, support, or information you can contact Women’s Aid on 1800 341 900.

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• mental health