韓國近日主辦的第一屆“亞太世界小姐”選美比賽爆出性騷擾黑幕,在國內(nèi)三度獲得選美冠軍的一位英國佳麗憤然退賽。這位19歲的佳麗艾米?威勒頓曾榮獲巴斯小姐、布里斯托小姐和威爾斯大學小姐的殊榮。她指控說,到達首爾后,主辦單位不但拒絕支付其機票費用,居住的房間更是連床都沒有,而且時常不提供餐食;更惡劣的是,參賽佳麗均被暗示提供“陪睡”或現(xiàn)金賄賂便可換取比賽中的某個名次。威勒頓與其他幾位佳麗受到主辦方和贊助商性騷擾后便報告警方,但主辦單位竟然私下擺平警方;而對于她們的抗議,隨行翻譯也拒絕傳達。目前,威勒頓已自訂機票返國,并考慮對主辦單位采取法律行動。
Amy Willerton, 19, the title holder of Miss Bath, Miss Bristol and Ms Wales University competed in Miss Asia Pacific World earlier this month. |
A triple-crowned beauty queen from Bristol has claimed she had to leave a competition in South Korea because she feared for her safety.
Amy Willerton, 19, the title holder of Miss Bath, Miss Bristol and Ms Wales University competed in Miss Asia Pacific World earlier this month.
But she alleged competitors were sexually harassed and bribed and were not provided with food.
Organiser, Lawrence Choi has apologised to competitors over their complaints.
In an email he said the competition had been "totally destroyed".
'Completely corrupt'
Fifty competitors from around the world attended the event in the hope of winning $20,000 and some girls were also offered plastic surgery.
Ms Willerton said: "They put us in a hotel with no beds, they often didn't feed us.
"I started complaining straight away, but they would always reply with 'you won't win the contest if you complain'.
"Then it moved onto bribery, sexual harassment. Girls were offered places in the competition in exchange for sex, in exchange for money, it was completely corrupt."
She said after being sexually harassed she and several others informed police.
"When the police arrived they called in one of the chairmen of the pageant who actually got his wallet out straight away and we were all pushed back by the organisers so we couldn't speak.
"Our translator would not translate for us, so we were completely helpless."
Ms Willerton said she managed to arrange flights home but had not been reimbursed for the cost of the original flights which she was promised when she agreed to take part.
She said she was considering taking legal action against the organisers of the event.
The BBC contacted Mr Choi about Ms Willerton's allegations but has not received a response.
In his email to competitors Mr Choi said the committees in charge of booking the hotels and transport "did not keep the agreement".
He said: "In conclusion, it's fully my mistake and fault, I had only vision but forget reality. I am terribly sorry what happened here in Korea."
相關閱讀
(Agencies)
(中國日報網(wǎng)英語點津 Helen 編輯)