The Ugandan songbird, Gloria Bugie, on Saturday couldn’t help but break down in tears as she addressed the media over a private video that recently went viral across the internet.
The singer, identified by her full name as Gloria Busingye, during the press conference conducted an account of incidents surrounding her humiliating experience while choking with tears.
The leaked video, reportedly recorded in May of last year, has gone viral across all social media platforms, creating a storm of controversy and speculation in its wake. Bugie confirmed to the media that she was the person in those videos, but she never released them herself. She even revealed that for more than a year now, she has been a victim of blackmail at the hands of the person who recorded the video.
There is a person who has been blackmailing me for over a year,” Bugie said, her voice breaking. “I filed a police case against him in March this year, and he fled the country. I believe he decided to release the video now because he sees how well I am doing today and wants to ruin my career.”
The aftermath of the video brought Bugie under a tremendous amount of scrutiny and judgment, which severely led to a mental health breakdown. She mentioned depression, something she had never experienced in her life before, and highlighted the very important need for mental health support in such situations.
“I have been trying to ignore the noise and focus on more important things, which is why I have been a bit quiet,” Bugie explained. “This incident has made me realize just how crucial mental health is. My heart breaks for all the women who have gone through situations like this, and that is why I am joining organizations that support such women so we can all live in a blackmail-free society.”
Apart from the emotional trauma because of the video, Bugie has to confront court cases filed by the music promoter Abitex for allegedly “promoting pornography.” Bugie dismissed the accusations and called attention to the fact that no woman in her proper mind would ever expose her own privacy in such a manner.
“I hope Abitex has sisters or daughters himself. I wish he could study and understand what I am going through,” she added, seeking empathy and understanding in the face of her ordeal.
Despite all the overwhelming challenges she is currently facing, Bugie remains determined to use her experience in raising awareness and support for other women who have been victims of blackmail and cyber exploitation.
