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EXCLUSIVE! ‘Sex parties’, ‘lingerie shoots’ and ‘a nightmare in Paris’ – Irish models reveal experiences of sexual harassment

Amid the Harvey Weinstein scandal - many are coming forward with their own experiences

The story surrounding Harvey Weinstein’s decades of sexual harassment and abuse is arguably the biggest celebrity news story of 2017.

It’s devastating, upsetting, enraging, triggering, but unfortunately – the general consensus is that it’s not surprising, which is the most upsetting of all.

For years, decades, and centuries, people in power have used their dominance and control to get what they want at the expense of others – and sadly it’s an issue that won’t go away, especially within the entertainment industry.

Photo: John Rainford/WENN.com

The past two weeks have been an extremely troubling time for women. Several females came forward, exposing years of sexual abuse at the hands of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in The New York Times.

Since then, a number of well-known figures in the industry came forward with their own stories about Harvey; including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cara Delevinge, and many, many more.

And the story has sparked more to speak out about their own experiences of sexual harassment and abuse, with actress Alyssa Milano encouraging people to use the hashtag #MeToo on social media to come forward with their stories.

All eyes may be pointing at Harvey Weinstein right now, but the fact of the matter is that sexual harassment, assault, and abuse is happening everywhere – including the entertainment industry in Ireland.

Ireland is a small country, and we often joke about how small it really is – it’s not rare that you’ll bump into someone you know on the street, so naturally, the entertainment industry is minuscule in comparison to Tinseltown, but just because ‘everyone knows everyone’ doesn’t mean that abuse and harassment isn’t ignored.

The ‘hush hush’ nature that has stretched back for centuries is still very much alive and well right now, especially in an industry as fickle as entertainment.

You don’t need to be working in showbiz long before you hear the whispers and rumours, and some of the stories you hear would genuinely make you retch with disgust, especially as a woman.

Like any other country, Irish women in the industry have received plenty of unwanted advances, whether it be from a photographer, a director, or even someone walking down the street.

The aim to please in order to book a job and sign a contract has, frighteningly, been the norm for quite some time – and now some well-known Irish faces have spoken exclusively to us, to shed light on just some of the abuse that’s taking place.

Jo Archbold (Model) 

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Speaking exclusively to Goss.ie, Irish model Jo Archbold told us how she was made feel extremely uncomfortable by a photographer when she was just 17 years old, and starting out in the modelling industry.

“When I was about 17 I had just started with (modelling agency) and was told I had to shoot with a photographer to get some new images for my portfolio.”

“Nothing in terms of clothing or shot style was discussed so I went in with sharing some Pinterest inspired photos that the photographer thought were ‘boring’. Being young and not very used to the ‘test shoot’ term, I just agreed with his ideas and booked a date for the shoot.

“About a week before the shoot I was privately messaged by the photographer on Facebook messenger and asked to send him photos of my outfits so he could choose backgrounds. When I sent a flat lay of my choices he replied if I could put them on instead.

“I felt very confused. When I did send them on he replied with a lot of comments on how my body looked and asked if I worked out. I ignored it and asked if that was all he needed. He then asked me what lingerie pieces I had picked out… I hadn’t.”

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“Nothing was ever suggested that I had lingerie to shoot in. I was in complete shock…I told him I didn’t have any or want to do a lingerie shoot and he said that it is something that’s needed in my portfolio,” she explained.

Jo says she then asked her agency if that was the case, they said that it was – but that she didn’t have to if she didn’t want to.

“I asked my agency and they said it was true but I didn’t have to if I didn’t want to as I had never done it before. I told him that, and he said that it wouldn’t be worth it to shoot everything with him without lingerie.

“He then told me he wouldn’t shoot something he didn’t see as it would be hard to change backgrounds, lights, etc. on the day.”

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“He went out of his way to make me feel like if I didn’t send photos then I wouldn’t get new images for my book. I was devastated, so I sent him photos in lingerie with my face cropped out because of the embarrassment.

“I felt like if I didn’t do it then I wouldn’t get work. If I didn’t work then I wouldn’t be able to pay rent or keep my car on the road. It was horrible,” she told Goss.ie.

“Apparently this photographer has done it to so many girls. I’m so disgusted at myself for allowing it to happen, he completely took advantage of me and I didn’t know any different because I needed the images.

“I’ve never spoken out about it before because I’m embarrassed. It’s just so hard for young girls who really want to pursue a career in the industry to actually say no. ‘No I don’t want to do that’ even if it means I don’t get that job. I don’t want anyone else to feel that way. It’s so disgusting,” she added.

Although we’re highlighting what’s happening in Ireland, some see Ireland as a “safe haven” in comparison to other countries.

Alison Canavan (Model) 

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Alison Canavan, who has had a lengthy career as a fashion model, has worked all over the world since the tender age of 15 – and has plenty of horror stories.

When asked by Goss.ie if she’s ever experienced harassment or abuse in Ireland, she replied, “Not really in Ireland no. I didn’t really work here, you know I was working abroad from when I was 15.”

“I started in Paris and in the States and travelled all around. Ireland is kind of a safe haven to be honest with you, compared to the s**t going on abroad.”

“I’ve been thinking about this so much over the past few days, I’ve been looking at the people speaking up and you know I had a lengthy career abroad and I encountered a lot of these people in my path – I’ve met them, I’ve been at parties, I’ve done all this.

“A lot of people are like ‘men need to speak up, different people need to speak up’ and I’m like, you know what, back in the day, if a girl spoke up, other women didn’t back her.

“The most devastating part of this is, is that I guarantee you most of those women wanted to speak up but when they realised the lack of support around them, they retreated.”

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“So, you know, there’s a bigger question that we all need to be asking ourselves, all of us, every single person that’s been in this industry from the get go has a bit of blame in this. Every single person.

“But the problem is that it was happening all around you, all around you, everywhere – at castings, shoots, on trips abroad. It seemed so normal. And it was like ‘speak up, and be prepared to pay the price’. That’s really how it was.”

Although Alison never experienced anything in Ireland, she recalls plenty of experiences abroad – including the likes of Paris and Greece.

“I remember ringing my dad so many times when I was in Paris on my own, and I was just 16, I started there when I was 15, and we were supposed to be ‘chaperoned’, but we were in our arse being chaperoned.

“The most they did was come to our house and check the fridge for food, to make sure we weren’t eating and to make sure we were staying skinny.”

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“I remember ringing my dad, because I was deeply, deeply uncomfortable about a couple of things that were going on, there was a lot of s**t going on and my dad was told at the time [by an agent] that I had a big mouth, and that it was going to cost me in this industry.

“They wanted me to mind my own business, focus on my own career, and stop sticking my nose in. I was only 16,” she explained.

“There was a lot of bullying that went on in the industry, a lot of bullying that went on, so there’s different levels.

“I remember going to a photographer’s house and they ask you to take off your clothes, and say ‘oh, I need to see your body shape’ and all of this. When you’re in France anyway, a lot of the shoots would have been, you know, they were far more comfortable with nudity,” she told Goss.ie.

“It was so dark behind the scenes, that to even come out and try to speak about the darkness, people would not have believed you.

“I remember when I was at a party in Paris with a photographer, and the next day one of the bookers said to me ‘why did you come home on your own last night?’, and I was so naive and was just like ‘because I was tired!’. The reason they were making me talk to him is because ‘he could have you on the cover of Vogue.'”

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“This Harvey Weinstein thing has brought up a lot for me. It’s brought up a lot of anger. It’s brought up a lot of memories that I had pushed down, of things that I didn’t want to remember, of times with certain agencies that were dark, being surrounded by people that did treat you like a peace of meat.

“My dad got me out of Greece in a really precarious incident with a photographer that I knew was just a dangerous situation, and I managed to get myself out of it and he had me on a plane a couple of hours later.”

“It’s a bigger, bigger issue. We’re not just talking about Harvey Weinstein, we’re talking about a bigger problem.”

Shahira Barry (Model & Actress)

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Another Irish star who has experienced the abuse of power within the industry, is Shahira Barry.

The Galway model and actress has been based in L.A. for the last two years, and revealed she was lured into a sex party.

“I feel that I am overly cautious and aware… perhaps at some points to the decrement of my career,” she explained.

“I’ve been asked to meet one on one with many powerful producers or people of influence and I’ve refused because I’m so overly aware of what could happen and I don’t even want to place my self in any situation that could become even slightly awkward.”

“I only want to meet with someone if there’s multiple people or it’s in a professional setting such as an office, and that’s due to my own paranoia, when I’m sure maybe most of the time the persons intentions were good and maybe I’m stupid because it could of been a good opportunity but I’m so paranoid about it I don’t want to take that risk.

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The model, who once worked as Kim Kardashian’s body double, told how she was once lured to a “sex party” by a casting director – but thankfully she escaped.

“I was once lured to a party by a casting director and a group of people and it ended up being a masquerade sex party.

“I don’t judge what people want to get up to in their private life, but I remember feeling really used and misled as I felt they deliberately didn’t inform me what kind of party it was on the basis that they would get me there, and hope I would be pressured into doing something.

“However I swiftly made my exit without saying anything, took my heels off at the door and ran down the Hollywood Hills until I got to a street where I could get signal and get an Uber out of there. Luckily the fire brigade had been called, and arrived as I was leaving so nobody stopped me from going.

“That’s the worst experience I’ve had, but on another note I often do wonder about all these non-disclosure agreements that people of power or influence often have you sign before spending any time in their company.

“On one hand I totally get it, if they’re a celebrity they don’t want to be taken advantage of or have someone leak their private life, but on the other hand, especially when at private residences, it does cross my mind well that’s all well and good but what if something happened to me. Can the NDA go out the window then, or what’s the situation legally? I don’t know.

“But there has been a couple of occasions where I’ve felt uneasy, but if I get that feeling I’ll try to leave as soon as possible,” she concluded.

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