The singer Duffy has said she was drugged and raped after being held captive by an attacker.
In a post on her verified Instagram account, the Welsh performer added that her “recovery took time
The 35 – year-old singer, whose full name is Aimee Anne Duffy, had a UK number one album with her release Rockferry in 2008.
The following year she won three BRIT Awards (British Breakthrough, Best Female Solo and Best British Album) and a Grammy (Best Pop Vocal Album).
She wrote in her post on Tuesday: “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.”
The singer’s best known singles include Warwick Avenue, Mercy and Stepping Stone.
Her statement was the only post on her Instagram page on Tuesday night.
It continued: “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.
View this post on Instagram
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 k ind 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 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.
A post shared by @ (duffy) (on (Feb) , 4930711 at 18: (am PST)
“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.”
Sky News has contacted Duffy and her representatives for comment.
More follows …
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings