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
