An open letter signed by more than 100 Victoria's Secret models is calling on the company to "take meaningful action to protect its talent" from sexual misconduct.
The iconic lingerie and beauty company has been connected to several recent allegations of young women being sexually abused, including notorious sex offender Jeffery Epstein reportedly posing as a scout to lure an alleged sexual assault victim into his hotel room.
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Advocacy group Models Alliance published the letter, which is co-signed by Time's Up and models including Milla Jovovich, Christy Turlington, Carolyn Murphy, Iskra Lawrence and Doutzen Kroes.
"In the past few weeks, we have heard numerous allegations of sexual assault, alleged rape, and sex trafficking of models and aspiring models," the letter reads.
"From the headlines about L Brands CEO Leslie Wexner's close friend and associate, Jeffrey Epstein, to the allegations of sexual misconduct by photographers Timur Emek, David Bellemere, and Greg Kadel, it is deeply disturbing that these men appear to have leveraged their working relationships with Victoria's Secret to lure and abuse vulnerable girls."
Victoria's Secret is being asked by Models Alliance to join its RESPECT programme, which requires training and a code of conduct to be implemented designed to reduce the abuse and exploitation of models.
"These stories are gut-wrenching and hit close to home for many of us who have encountered these kinds of abuses that are too often tolerated in our industry. We stand with the courageous women who have come forward and shared their stories, despite fears of retaliation or harm to their careers," reads the letter.
"We are calling on Victoria's Secret to take meaningful action to protect its talent and those who aspire to work with the company. Victoria's Secret has the opportunity to be a leader, to use its power and influence to bring about the changes that are urgently needed in our industry."
It appears Victoria's Secret is in a transitional period as the company recently hired its first transgender model, a year after it landed itself in hot water for saying "transsexuals" should be included in its brand.
Newshub.
