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Duffy Slams Netflix For Featuring '365 Days' Film That "Glamorizes Rape"

The Welsh singer aired her criticism through an open letter addressed to Reed Hastings.

Duffy

Welsh singer, songwriter and actress, Duffy wrote to Reed Hastings criticizing Netflix's decision to feature Polish erotic film' 365 Days' which "glamorizes rape."

Duffy bravely went out to the public early this year regarding her rape and kidnapping experience, one of the tragic reasons why she stayed away from the spotlight more than a decade ago.

In a harrowing blog post published on her website, she recounted how she was drugged during her birthday, brought to a foreign country, and was held captive by her perpetrators who raped her.

According to Duffy," '365 Days' glamorizes the brutal reality of sex trafficking, kidnapping, and rape."

'365 Days' follows the story of a young Polish woman who is kidnapped by a Sicilian mafia leader. The kidnapper gave the young woman 365 days to fall in love with him.

365 Days

While the Polish flick starring Michele Morrone and Anna-Maria Sieklucka was introduced as an erotic movie, some people criticized the film for featuring extremely graphic sex scenes, blurring the line between cinema and pornography. By the end of the film, the Polish woman fell in love with her kidnapper and agrees to marry him.

Despite being wrapped in controversy, '365 Days' went out to be a major hit at the Polish box office grossing $9M. '365 Days' premiered on Netflix worldwide last month and managed to snatch a spot on the top 10's in different countries.

Duffy released the public letter addressed to Netflix's Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings and called the streaming platform's decision to host the film 'irresponsible'.

"Today, I really don't know what to think, say, or do, other than to reach out and explain to you in this letter how irresponsible it was of Netflix to broadcast the film' 365 Days'." Duffy wrote, as published by Deadline.

Duffy went on to share the staggering statistic of an estimated 25 million people currently trafficked around the world and urged Hastings to reflect on it. 

365 Days

She said it 'grieves' her that Netflix is providing a platform for such films that "eroticizes kidnapping and distorts sexual violence and trafficking as a "sexy" movie."

"I just can't imagine how Netflix could overlook how careless, insensitive, and dangerous this is. It has even prompted some young women, recently, to jovially ask Michele Morrone, the lead actor in the film, to kidnap them." Duffy continues.

Duffy asked Netflix to "right this wrong" by producing and broadcasting content that portrays the truth of the harsh and desperate reality of human trafficking and rape.

She also argues against people who may dismiss the issue, exclaiming it's just a movie and stated that '365 Days' has great influence to distort sex trafficking and kidnapping by making the subject erotic.

Furthermore, Duffy urged viewers to educate themselves more about human trafficking.