'[It] symbolizes the bond of love and the importance of freedom,' Demi Moore said of the jewelery designed to raise fund against human trafficking and slavery.
- February 10, 2011
AceShowbiz - Demi Moore has defended her decision to join forces with handcuff necklace designer Jack Vartanian for a new fundraising drive, insisting the symbol represents "the importance of freedom". The Hollywood star and her husband Ashton Kutcher are the founders of the Demi and Ashton (DNA) Foundation, which aims to spread awareness about human trafficking and slavery.
Half of all profits raised from the sale of Vartanian's diamond-studded handcuff range until St. Valentine's Day (14Feb11) will be donated to the DNA Foundation, but the choice of design has sparked controversy among critics, who believe the pieces are inappropriate for the cause.
Moore, however, is adamant the handcuffs are not insulting to victims of human trafficking. She tells the New York Daily News, "(The necklace) symbolizes the bond of love and the importance of freedom." The actress claims she owns one of the pieces of jewelery herself and wears it "every day" to remind her that "as long as even one person is enslaved, we are all enslaved".
