Australia’s Next Top Model contestant Izzy Vesey speaks out on the industry putting children at risk

The model has told The Feed that her first sexual experience happened backstage at a photo shoot when she was a teen. A loophole in state laws can leave many young models exposed.

Breaking the model

Source: The Feed

Hear more of Izzy's story - and that of other young women - in 'Breaking The Model' , above.

"He was 30 and I was if not 16 like 15."

Izzy Vesey says the older model had been coming on to her from the moment she arrived on set.

"All of a sudden I'm like in a cubicle with a male model with his dick out," she told The Feed in an interview for 'Breaking The Model', a special investigation into the modelling industry.
He knew how old I was because I turned up in my school uniform!
She says despite being underage, there was no agency or set supervisor looking after her while she was working that day, or ever.
Breaking the model
Source: The Feed
"That's weird because I work a lot in films so I understand like when we have child actors...there's always reps there that are making sure that the kids are taken care of, that they're well fed, that they're well rested and those laws are really, really strictly enforced and that doesn't happen in modelling," says Izzy.

Each state has laws which protect children who work in the modelling industry.

For example in Victoria children can't work later than nine o'clock if they have school the next day.

In Queensland underage models have to be with a parent at all times.

And in New South Wales, which is home to all the major agencies, employers who work with children have to be registered with a government body called the NSW Children's Guardian. Names of registered employers are published online weekly.
Breaking the model
There are concerns that modelling agencies are exploiting an employment law loophole that leaves young models at risk of harassment. Source: The Feed

But despite working closely with children, there are no registered modelling agencies on that list.

That's because agencies don't employ models - they sign them on as independent contractors instead.

Through this loophole, agencies are able to side step regulation designed to protect children in the workplace.

The modelling agencies are, however, required to only send underage models to work with people, like photographers, who are registered with the Children's Guardian.

But Izzy says modelling agencies don't vet photographers.
There's so many photographers that I know that are creeps or that girls have had terrible experiences with that are still on the books because they have clout.
After speaking with The Feed, the Children's Guardian, Janet Schorer, says her organisation will look into the matter.

"That's absolutely feedback that we'll take and engage with that sector more," she says.
Breaking the model
A special investigation by The Feed has heard from models who say they felt uncomfortable - and in some cases were harassed - while on set. Source: The Feed
It took Izzy years to comprehend what happened to her.

"As someone who's much older now I can see that it's fucked up," she says.

"That's a predator, that's disgusting, that's a child."

Catch The Feed 8:30pm Thursdays and 5pm Sundays on SBS VICELAND . Connect with us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

  


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By Una Butorac

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