Models urge Victoria’s Secret to take the lead on sexual misconduct accountability

More than 100 models signed an open letter urging Victoria’s Secret CEO John Mehas to spearhead efforts to eliminate sexual misconduct in the modeling industry, particularly among photographers.

“In the past few weeks, we have heard numerous allegations of sexual assault, alleged rape, and sex trafficking of models and aspiring models,” states the letter, which is signed by the Model Alliance advocacy group as well as dozens of individual models and Time’s Up advocates.

{mosads}”While these allegations may not have been aimed at Victoria’s Secret directly, it is clear that your company has a crucial role to play in remedying the situation,” it adds.

The letter specifically cites allegations against 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,” it says.

The letter also mentions ties between Leslie Wexner, CEO of Victoria’s Secret owner L Brands, and financier and registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who was arrested last month on sex trafficking charges and worked as a personal finance manager for Wexner until 2007.

Wexner has denied any knowledge of the allegations against Epstein, who he accuses of “misappropriat[ing] vast sums of money” from him.

The Hill has reached out to Victoria’s Secret, as well as Emek, for comment. Bellemere and Kadel have both publicly denied the allegations.