Cinema-goers are being urged to boycott Fifty Shades of Grey ahead of its release over Valentine's weekend which is expected to see it become a box-office smash.

 

Film fans are being encouraged to donate money to domestic abuse or rape crisis centres instead amid claims the storyline romanticises abuse.

Rape Crisis Glasgow manager Isabelle Kerr warned the themes of the EL James novel are "irrational, unbelievable and dangerous" in a blog aimed at raising awareness of abuse.

She has backed a campaign launched by American activists called 50 dollars not 50 shades, which encourages people to donate to shelters instead of paying to see the film.

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."

The film adaptation of the book, which has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, premiered in the UK yesterday and goes on general release today.

It follows the relationship between college graduate Anastasia Steele, played by Dakota Johnson, and S&M loving entrepreneur Christian Grey, played by Jamie Dornan.

Ms Kerr said she hoped young fans of the story realise that the relationship detailed in novel is not normal.

"I haven't seen the film and obviously it will not be identical to the book", she said. "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 added the storyline is "nothing more than stalking, sexual violence and intimate partner violence romanticised and eroticised.

"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 dangerous."

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."

Despite the call and a number of poor reviews, many of which lament the lack of "sizzle" and "hot sex" in the big screen adaptation, the film is still expected to be a big hit at the box office.

A spokeswoman for Vue cinemas said its UK theatres had taken more than £1.3 million in advance ticket sales.

The so called "mummy porn" movie is also expected to cause a spike in emergency call outs.

London Fire Brigade said the "Fifty Shades effect" often results in an increase in handcuff and ring-related incidents.

The brigade has urged people to use common sense to avoid leaving themselves red-faced.