FILM-goers are being urged to boycott 50 Shades of Grey - and donate cash to a refuge for domestic abuse victims instead.

 

Rape Crisis Glasgow manager Isabelle Kerr is warning that the themes of the novel, written by EL James are "irrational, unbelievable and dangerous".

Ms Kerr said she decided to read the books after concerns were raised about the controlling nature of character Christian Grey.

She published a blog analysing the novel in a bid to raise awareness of abuse.

The film adaptation of the book is released this weekend.

It follows the relationship between college graduate Anastasia Steele, played by Dakota Johnson, 25, and Christian Grey, played by Jamie Dornan, 32.

The call came after activists in America launched their 50 Dollars Not 50 Shades campaign.

They want people to forgo a ticket - and donate the money to domestic abuse shelters instead.

Ms Kerr said: "They're asking people to boycott the film and use the 50 dollars you might have spent getting a babysitter, buying a ticket and getting snacks, and give it to a women's shelter.

"And I think that is really inspired. I would say maybe that's what we should be aiming for here, because the Women's Aid refuges, the Rape Crisis Centres, we're dealing with the other end of that - the physical and emotional fallout of something that is so glibly portrayed in the book and the film."

Ms Kerr said she hoped young fans of the story would understand that Christian and Anastasia's relationship is not normal.

She said: "I haven't seen the film and obviously it will not be identical to the book, but I expect sales of the book will go up when people see the film.

"I am concerned that it will be seen as very romantic and erotic. But it's dangerous."

In her blog published on the Rape Crisis Glasgow website, Ms Kerr said the storyline is "nothing more than stalking, sexual violence and intimate partner violence romanticised and eroticised".

She added: "Anastasia and Christian's relationship is not romantic. Christian is an abuser.

"Dressing up abuse as erotica doesn't make it sexy, it makes it danger."

Susan Jack, Training and Development worker at Glasgow Women's Aid, backed Ms Kerr's calls.

She said: "If people were planning to see the film but maybe there's some things they feel uncomfortable about then it would be a lovely gesture to donate to an organisation like ourselves instead of going to see it."