Contestants allegedly photographed naked; police probe underway
WEB DESK
Six contestants of a Miss Universe Indonesia pageant have filed complaints with police accusing organisers of sexual harassment after they alleged they were subjected to topless “body checks”, their lawyer said on Tuesday, REPORTS REUTERS
Police confirmed contestants had filed a report that would be investigated.
The Indonesian contestants of the Indonesian beauty pageant, held in the capital Jakarta from July 29 to Aug. 3, said the organisers asked five of them to strip to their underwear for physical examinations in a room with more than 20 people, including men.
Head of Sub Directorate of Youth, Children and Women at Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police, Yuliansyah, who only goes by one name, told reporters on Tuesday that police are looking into the case and will summon the victims to clarify their reports, according to Detik.
This case stems from a viral post on the Instagram Story of MUID Bali director Sally Giovany, as reported by Detik last Sunday.
In the post, Giovany protested against the body-check procedure that required contestants to be naked and photographed, which she said violated the rules because the photos could be shared.
Then on Monday, a beauty pageant finalist with the initial ‘N’ filed a police report addressed to PT Capella Swastika Karya (PT CSK) which currently holds the Miss Universe license in Indonesia.
According to CNN Indonesia, ‘N’ alleged that she was photographed during a body check which was not listed in the program schedule, she said.
“(She was) suddenly confronted (with) needing to do a body check and (this was) enough to make our client feel humiliated,” said Ms Melissa Anggraini, the attorney representing ‘N’.