Models use closed Facebook groups to warn each other of sexually inappropriate photographers
Dec 11, 2017
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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As the #MeToo movement is gaining momentum, we’re hearing more and more stories from the people who underwent sexual harassment. Some photographers were accused, or even banned from working because of the accusations of sexual misconduct.
As an attempt to fight and prevent sexual harassment, three Canadian models have started a closed Facebook group. Here, both female and male models can submit the information about Canadian photographers. This way, they can warn each other and point out to the photographers who should be avoided.
Drew Catherine is a Canadian model and one of the founders of the group. As she tells CBC News, she’s had many uncomfortable encounters with photographers throughout her three-year working experience in Toronto. She shares that the stories of other Toronto-based models are also “heart-wrenching.” According to her, they often include “rape, abuse, photographers selling their images without permission, taking photos of them in dressing rooms.”
After she was fed up with the abuse, Catherine started a closed group named Toronto-Ontario Photographer Reviews. It’s a closed group made only of the models, where they can share experiences and warn each other on the sexually inappropriate photographers. As she says, she wants to change the feeling of being powerless when you’re new to the industry. Her group works “almost like a union or an agency to fall back on.” Catherine adds that some photographers see undressing for the camera “as an invitation.” But she makes it clear that the models aren’t there for the photographers, but for the camera.
As CBC News writes, the group has caused a backlash from photographers, so they started their own closed groups as a response. Still, Catherine insists that her group remains a “secret, quiet spot” where the models can speak their mind and share their experience.
In a way, it’s understandable that some photographers are mad, even if they’ve never been sexually inappropriate to their models. I mean, one can’t help but wonder: what happens if someone bashes a photographer because they want to destroy their career (for whichever reason)? Fortunately, Catherine has taken this into consideration.
According to Catherine, six admins carefully monitor the group, and they are the only ones with the power to create new posts. If there’s an accusation of an assault, she does a research and contacts the photographer to get his part of the story. It’s not the goal of the group to trash photographers, but to talk about the experiences models had with them, and the team of admins does their best to keep it this way. And thanks to the careful research, they don’t post the accusations that appear to be fabricated.
As I’m told, this is a fairly common way of communication between the models. Since I’m not a model, this is new to me, but I think it’s great and helpful. Sexual harassment should be prevented, that goes without saying. And even if it happens, the victims should speak about it openly, point to the predators, and warn others. These closed Facebook groups are one of the ways to do it, and as long as the stories are not one-sided, I think they could spare many models from unpleasant experiences and expose the photographers who behave inappropriately.
[via CBC News]
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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28 responses to “Models use closed Facebook groups to warn each other of sexually inappropriate photographers”
As they should
Absolutely right.
Sounds like a properly run group that should get a lot of support. I like the fact that they do their own background check and contacting the photographer for their own story.
Good! Hold creeps with cameras accountable for their actions. I’ve heard stories about inappropriate behavior from almost every model I’ve worked with.
There are far too many creeps using their cameras as cover for predatory behavior. They deserve to be run out of the industry.
all fun and games until a vindictive ex, or sleazy competitor uses groups like that to bully the innocent….
when will people learn… mob justice isn’t justice. it’s just another forum for bullies to persecute people who may be innocent.
witch hunting is always fun until someone points a finger at you and yells “Witch!” then what are ya gonna do?
I have been in secret groups for years. When people do it for vindictive reasons (it happens), it is obvious and their reviews and comments are removed along with them. This really shouldn’t be anxiety inducing for anyone who hasn’t done bad things to others. Men who worry about “witch hunts” usually are worried about something they did and whether it crossed a line or not. If you think you crossed a line, don’t be afraid to apologize and make sure you are on good terms with the women in your life.
Britt Thomas and there goes with the guilty until proven innocent but the innocent would never get accused brigades..
you’re EXACTLY the kind of person we don’t need deciding who’s innocent
It’s not a courtroom, and that’s not what’s happening here.
I said “tsk tsk” one time and was labeled as a misogynist, I opened and held a door for a stranger and she accused me for being sexist…
Am I worried about something that I did? No
Am I worried about the existence of crazy people out there who get offended by pretty much everything? Yes
Don Barnard it’s a closed group for people to quietly warn others against a potential creep. Doesn’t sound like mob justice to me.
Daniel P Sousa it’s a place where people get viciously bulllied behind their backs by anonymous attackers without ever knowing who is bullying them and destroying their livelihood . That’s even worse than mob mentality. That’s the point of the white sheets and masks of the kkk…. to hide the identities of the people lighting the fires.
This isn’t mob justice or bullying. It’s models warning models of real threats. Why in the world would you be against this?
For the record, false reports of sex assault are rarer than false reports of most other crimes. It’s also one of the least prosecuted crimes with a lower than average conviction rate when it does go to court. So all of Your fears are unfounded or straight up lies. The epidemic of “vindictive exes” some of you guys spout would be laughable if it wasn’t so dangerous. These models have Actual Legit fears and need a place to discuss them because people like you are the ones jumping to conclusions. Maybe this explains why the anonymity? Butt out!
I’m in one of these groups. It’s for models and photographers to share their experiences. My understanding is that it was created by a (female) photographer after finding out a fellow photographer she trusted had serious allegations made against him. She was feeling lost and looking for support. So the group is mostly models talking about red flags and which photogs or models people have worked with & whether they recommend the person or recommend caution.
Who can guarantee there’s no false accusations?
Who can ever guarantee that in anything ever?
I’m seriously surprised people have a problem with this, especially since we’re talking about closed groups.
https://nypost.com/2017/08/25/woman-heading-to-prison-after-falsely-accusing-15-men-of-rape/
It made the news cuz it’s so unusual. How would you have stopped her? Ya know what you didn’t read about today, the thousands and thousands of actual rapes. Sex assault is the least reported crime, the least prosecuted, the least convicted and still has less false reports than most other crimes. I personally don’t know any men who have been falsely accused, so I don’t know where you guys get this mess. You hyping and advertising a rare nut job like this is the reason models (and a lot of people) don’t report and prefer to speak anonymously. Again, how would you fix the problem instead of telling women how they’re doing it wrong?
When did models who choose to be clothes racks start to attempt thought ? Certainly isn’t their job .
Thanks for your valuable contribution!
This sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Funny how this model created this group. I’ve seen her mouth on photographers’ dicks in photos. What a disgusting whore.
and?
And nothing. Just stating the truth. She wants photographers to stop being inappropriate? How about she stop adding to the fire by sucking photographers’ dicks like the disgusting whore she is.
So a promiscuous women can’t be assaulted or harassed? That’s a logic fail, and an attitude that is bound to get you in trouble…. If it was just you I could laugh at you, but instead I worry about the women in your life. I can eff every dude in this comment section and still say NO to you. “But she’s a whore!” is no longer gonna help you in court.
Sorry! oh if you only knew this disgusting piece of trash. She is an attention whore more than anything. Her photos are all bordering on pornography along with the other two she is in alliance with.
So?
I agree, and so many other people who know her agree too. She has her little clique of people who have her back, and what are the odds that she’s fucked some of those people? High, because I’ve seen proof. Disgusting piece of trash for sure.