Their dreams of representing Indonesia in the 2023 Miss Universe pageant turned to nightmares when they were forced to undergo 含羞草研究社渂ody checks含羞草研究社� in front of local organizers. Now seven contestants have filed complaints with the police, accusing the organizers of sexual harassment, their lawyer said Tuesday.
During the July 29-Aug. 3 Miss Universe Indonesia contest in the capital of Jakarta 含羞草研究社� and ahead of the show含羞草研究社檚 Grand Final event 含羞草研究社� the contestants were told to strip to their underwear for 含羞草研究社渂ody checks含羞草研究社� for scars or cellulite, said lawyer Melissa Anggraini.
The checks took place in a ballroom at the downtown Sari Pacific Hotel, where the contest was held, with about two dozen people present, including men. Five of the contestants said they were then photographed topless, Anggraini said.
含羞草研究社淲e have obtained some evidences, even videos showing that the organizer had carried out 含羞草研究社榖ody checks含羞草研究社�,含羞草研究社� she added.
One of her clients, 23-year-old model Priskila Ribka Jelita who represented West Java province in the pageant, recounted her 含羞草研究社渂ody check含羞草研究社� ordeal in an interview with The Associated Press.
含羞草研究社淲hen they asked me to open my bra 含羞草研究社� I was shocked! But I couldn含羞草研究社檛 speak or refuse,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淲hen I tried to cover my breast with my hand, I was even scolded and yelled at.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚 was totally confused, nervous and humiliated, especially when I was told to lift my left leg on the chair and let them examine my leg,含羞草研究社� Jelita said. The 含羞草研究社渆xamination含羞草研究社� continued up her leg to 含羞草研究社渕y private intimate part,含羞草研究社� she added.
After news of the 含羞草研究社渂ody checks含羞草研究社� leaked out, the Miss Universe Organization cut its ties with its Indonesian franchisee. The New York-based organization said in a statement late Saturday that it had decided to sever ties with PT Capella Swastika Karya, the franchisee, and its National Director Poppy Capella.
含羞草研究社淚n light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards and ethics,含羞草研究社� the Miss Universe Organization said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The organization also said it would be cancelling this year含羞草研究社檚 Miss Universe Malaysia as the Indonesian franchisee also holds the license for the neighboring country含羞草研究社檚 pageant.
It said it would make arrangements for the Indonesia 2023 title holder, Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld, who won in Jakarta, to compete in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant, to be held in El Salvador later this year.
Groeneveld was not among the contestants who filed a complaint.
Jelita含羞草研究社檚 mother, Maria Napitupulu, said she found out what happened to her daughter only after reading her daughter含羞草研究社檚 post on Instagram, where she recounted the ordeal.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 very sad and this really hurts me,含羞草研究社� Napitupulu said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
In March, Indonesian beauty company PT Capella Swastika Karya took over the license for Miss Universe Indonesia from Yayasan Putri Indonesia, or YPI, an Indonesian foundation that had held the license for 30 years.
Capella, a former singer and the franchisee含羞草研究社檚 manager, could not be reached for comment.
In a post on the franchisee含羞草研究社檚 Instagram account, Capella on Saturday denied she had any knowledge of or was in any way involved in any 含羞草研究社渂ody checking含羞草研究社� of the contestants. She also said that she was against every form of 含羞草研究社渧iolence and sexual harassment.含羞草研究社�
In its statement, the Miss Universe Organization said no measurements of height, weight, or body dimensions are required to join the pageant, and thanked the Indonesian contestants who have shown 含羞草研究社渂ravery in speaking out.含羞草研究社�
Since the 含羞草研究社渂ody checks含羞草研究社� news broke, controversy over the pageant has been mounting in Indonesia, the world含羞草研究社檚 most populous Muslim-majority nation. The country has a reputation as a tolerant, pluralist society that respects freedom of expression.
Most Muslims in Indonesia, a secular country of 277 million people, are moderate, but a small hard-line fringe has become more vocal in recent years.
In 2013, several conservative Muslim groups staged a massive protest against the Miss World competition in Indonesia, prompting the organizers to move the contest from Jakarta to the resort island of Bali. All of the more than 130 contestants were required to wear Bali含羞草研究社檚 traditional long sarongs instead of the bikinis that have historically been a symbol of the competition.
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