Under the surface of beautiful modeling life, many young models are suffering from depression, sexual harassment and drugs, according to a new survey conducted by the Model Alliance.
Despite the small sample size of 85 models based in New York and Los Angeles, the results unveiled horrifying facts about the young models suffering from inhumane working conditions.
The alliance was found by Sara Ziff to provide models with better workign conditions. It has been stirring the fashion industry as CFDA revised its standards for models amidst many designers continuing to use underage models.
“When Sara and I were just starting to think about ways we could organize models, and how we might go about working for fairer labor standards in the industry, we realized we first needed to know how models viewed their working conditions, and where models themselves saw room for improvement," Jenna Sauers, a board member of the alliance, told Fashionista.
“We did the survey because we wanted a map, basically.”
And here is what they found:
"Sexual harassment and abuse at work is also of concern to many models," according to the survey.
"Backstage at fashion shows and at photo shoots, models are often expected to change in full view of photographers, stylists, assistants, and anyone else who may happen to be present."
"Nearly all models have experienced a “surprise” nude shoot or casting. A sizable minority of working models have experienced sexual harassment on the job. Few models told their agencies about it, perhaps because of the fact that of the models who did, two-thirds found that their agents didn’t see the problem. Models even reported that their agents encouraged them to sleep with their harassers to help their careers."
“This data from our survey is useful because it helps us identify common areas of concern in qualitative, quantifiable terms that can help us bring about change,” Ziff told Fashionista.
“[T]he fact that a third of models who’ve experienced sexual harassment at work felt that the could not tell their agencies, and that most elected to tell no-one, suggested to us that models needed an independent, confidential grievance service — and that’s precisely what’s we’ve done. With the AGMA and Actors’ Equity, we’ve established Model Alliance Support, a reporting service for our members who are dealing with sexual harassment or any kind of abuse.”
The survey was conducted for women models, but the alliance is looking to survey men as well. They will continue to periodically survey working models, said Sauers.