Christy Turlington calls for more protection of young models

Christy Turlington has called on fashion industry leaders to better safeguard models from harassment.
In light of the string of sexual harassment allegations aimed at Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, with actresses Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd among his accusers, stories of similar claims within the fashion world have emerged.
While Christy has not been personally affected by the dark side of the business, she is aware of harassment and mistreatment allegations which have been “tolerated” and is now urging companies to take more steps to care for young men and women.
“It’s the one entertainment industry that didn’t have a strong union of its own,” she told WWD. “There were no chaperones on sets to monitor the hours worked or appropriateness of the themes of shoots and behaviour of the crews, no tutors required or penalties if standards were broken…We need to teach our girls, and young boys, how to protect themselves and defend themselves against predators in every area of their lives.”
Christy explained that she was lucky to have the constant support of her mother when she started modelling at the age of 14. However, there were instances where she suspects she may have been used as a “honeypot”.
“There were many times I could not believe who I was left under the care of on early trips to Milan, Paris or London. I would get off of a flight and find some creepy playboy type there to meet me. In hindsight, I fear I may have played the “honeypot” that has been described in the stories about these predators who make other women feel protected,” the 48-year-old shared.
Promoting women’s rights is a key priority for Christy, and in addition to her modelling work, she runs Every Mother Counts. The non-profit organisation is dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every woman, and she will hold a talk about maternal health in New Orleans next month.