I want to write to all my
readers who are models and model-hopefuls regarding the wave of women, and men,
bravely coming forward and speaking out against those who abuse their power in
the modeling industry. WE HEAR YOU!
The news headlines are filled with
sexual abuse allegations aimed at Hollywood powerhouses, politicians, and
people in a position of power in sports, as a wave of courage sweeps across
nearly every industry, exposing the abuses by those who for so long who have
leveraged their power for their own sexual gratification, victimizing
vulnerable young people, and rendering them silent out of fear that they will
lose their dream careers if they protest. And the modeling industry is no different.
Model Cameron Russell has
given a platform on Instagram where people could tell their own stories and
relay incidences they have witnessed, models often speaking out for the first
time of the sexual harassment and assault they have endured. The response has been astounding as so many
models including those at the top have come forward and publicly shared the abuse
and humiliation they have suffered, using the hashtag
#myjobshouldnotincludeabuse.
Not one single model should
ever be forced to be in an uncomfortable, threatening, or dangerous situation
on a casting, go-see, or job – ever. No
model should feel they need to expose themselves, be touched inappropriately, be
sent to an unsafe location, coerced into activities outside of actual modeling,
or be made to feel that they do not have a right to speak up if such a
situation arises.
Cameron Russell has made a
call to action to all industry leaders from agents, to casting directors or
magazine editors to designers to brands, to stop using photographers who are
known sexual predators against models.
Agents need to make it safe for models to tell them when they experience
harassment and abuse, but more that that, they must be held morally accountable
for sending models into the paths of these known perpetrators in the first
place.
Please, if you are model or
model-hopeful, know that now is the time to speak up if you have been
victimized. There is support for you and you will be heard. There are organizations who can advise you on how to get legal help, and support you in beginning the healing
process for yourself. By speaking up you will be helping to end this predatory culture, making a difference in the industry for every model
in the future. Your career depends more
on taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally, than anything
else. It is a lie that the only way to
succeed is to play along with the situation, and that all the big models before
you had the same experience and only succeeded because they played the game.
Some of my model friends who
had lengthy international careers have told me stories that are shocking,
disheartening, and frightening. It is
the dirty secret of the modeling industry that to anyone actually in the industry
is no secret at all, just not discussed.
But those days are over. Hear me:
OVER.
There are resources to help
you report incidences to the authorities, find legal and medical assistance,
mediation, and support. You owe it to
yourself to seek help and it can be as private as you need it to be. Not seeking help victimizes you a second
time. You deserve better. If your agent is not supportive there are
organizations that will advise you, but consider the relationship you have with
an agent that would not defend you or come to your aid.
It is time to end the rampant
abuse in the modeling industry. It needs
to come from the models standing up for themselves, the agents reporting these
crimes and supporting their models, and for the editors, designers, clients and
publishers to finally stop hiding the criminals who have had free reign in the
industry for far too long.
I SUPPORT YOU! The industry players are
legally bound to create a safe workplace for models. SPEAK UP AND BE HEARD!
Resources:
FREE AND DISCREET REPORTING OF QUESTIONABLE PRACTICES
Through MODEL
ALLIANCE SUPPORT, we assist models with complaints about inappropriate
on-the-job conduct, agent issues, or work related problems.
Sexual
harassment, abuse, and assault are no part of the “creative process.” They’re
against the law. No model has to tolerate any sort of unwanted or inappropriate
conduct. No model has to feel pressured to undress.
Opaque
accounting, unresponsive representation, one-sided agreements and payment
delays are questionable practices at best, and often unacceptable.
We can help.
Safely and privately report, or request assistance with, work
related problems, instances of harassment, abuse, or any such sort of
unwanted or inappropriate conduct to MODEL ALLIANCE SUPPORT.
Contact us at support@modelalliance.org to report or request
assistance. Although we cannot provide legal advice, if your issues require the
assistance of an attorney, they will advise you accordingly and can assist you
in finding one. For access to our Model Alliance Support service, be sure to
sign up here.
Cameron Russell @cameronrussell #myjobshouldnotincudeabuse
XOXO Shelley
#myjobshouldnotincludeabuse #the model alliance #Cameron Russell #sexual
abuse in the modeling industry #models speaking up against abuse #sexual predators
in modeling industry #sexual assault in modeling business #sexual harassment in
modeling industry #support for models who are victims of sexual assault #facethis.blogspot.com #Shelley
Goodstein
