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Contestants for the Miss Indonesia 2023 pageant have accused the organizers of sexual harassment.
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Reuters reported that many alleged that they were forced to undress for topless “physical examinations”.
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The Miss Universe Organization told Insider that it is looking into the matter.
Contestants who competed most recently in 2023 Miss Indonesia The beauty pageant claimed they were forced to undress for a topless “body examination” and then photographed, according to reports.
A lawyer representing six of the contestants in the beauty pageant said on Tuesday that the group had filed complaints with the Indonesian police accusing the organizers of the competition of sexual harassment, Reuters reported.
Local authorities told Reuters that the contestants had filed a police report and that an investigation would be opened.
The national director of the Miss Universe Indonesia pageant did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment sent by Insider via social media. Insider also sent a message to the official Instagram account of Miss Universe Indonesia, but did not immediately receive a response.
The Miss Universe Organization told Insider in a statement that it “recently became aware of the allegations regarding the Miss Indonesia 2023 pageant and the Indonesia franchise who runs the pageant.”
“Miss Universe takes allegations of sexual assault and wrongdoing very seriously. Providing women with a safe place to be is Miss Universe Organization’s top priority, and we are looking into this,” the organization added.
The Miss Indonesia 2023 contest was held in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, from July 29 to August 3.
The contestants who filed the police report alleged that the organizers asked five of them to remove their underwear for physical examinations in front of more than 20 people, including men, Reuters reported.
The women’s group’s attorney, Melissa Angraini, said the contestants were then photographed topless, according to Reuters.
“I felt like someone was glancing at me, and I was very confused and uncomfortable,” said an anonymous accuser during a news conference broadcast by local news television network Kompas.
Angryani he said in an Instagram post That the gratuitous “body check” took place in a hotel ballroom in Jakarta on August 1.
The Miss Universe Organization has been embroiled in controversy over the past year. She made headlines for the first time in October after more than a dozen contestants They claimed that the Miss USA 2022 pageant was rigged Favor Miss Texas Roboone Gabriellewho went to Win Miss Universe in january.
Insider spoke to several competing contestants, who cited multiple conflicts of interest between Gabrielle and Miss USA’s sponsors — including Miss Academy, the pageant school owned by Miss USA Kristel Stewart.
The Miss Universe Organization suspended Stewart and launched an investigation. On August 1, the Miss Universe Organization said a “thorough and extensive investigation” had found the allegations of fraud to be “false” but said Stewart will no longer serve as President of Miss USA.
The Miss Teen USA 2022 contestants also told Insider they got in on it He did not receive any mental health support During the contest, which occurred only months later Miss USA 2019 Chesley Crest He died by suicide.
After weeks of making allegations of fraud, it was also revealed that Stewart’s husband, Max Sibrechts, had stepped down as vice president of Miss USA after several Miss 2021 contestants said he sexually harassed them during the pageant.
In a statement sent to Insider in October, a Miss Universe spokesperson said the organization was made aware of the allegations against Sebrechts in late December 2021 and “immediately requested a review.” Sebrechs was removed as an employee from the organization in January 2022.
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