South China Morning Post
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Photographic models Felicia Szeto (left) and Eilia (full name not given) have spoken out about sexual harassment and abuse. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Opinion
Kylie Knott
Kylie Knott

Victim blaming of women subjected to sexual assault, rape and harassment has got to stop

  • A Post story about sexual abuse of photographic models in Hong Kong drew a number of victim-blaming comments from readers
  • These tasteless remarks, like those often made by judges, show that social attitudes need to change
Kylie Knott
Kylie Knott
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A few weeks ago I wrote about the sexual abuse of freelance models who work in the private photo shoot industry in Hong Kong, where hundreds of Instagram accounts advertise thousands of mostly female models.

Photographers – both amateurs and professionals – recruit models from these accounts for private assign­ments, the details of which are negotiated between model and artist. A lack of transparency and accountability, however, means the models are open to abuse.

To cut a long and depressing story short, the models in my story talked of rampant abuse in the industry, from groping and harassment to blackmail for sexual favours. But equally depressing were some of the readers’ comments posted on the South China Morning Post website and its Facebook page that sadly showed victim blaming is alive and well. Here is a taste of some of the tasteless remarks:

“If you’re good and innocent, simply you will decide not to do this job,” wrote one.

“No such thing as easy money. Want quick, fast and easy money, there are risk [sic]. If can’t take risk, don’t go into it. After doing it, no point complaining,” wrote another. “Maybe don’t pose for photos you would be ashamed for your parents to see?” one more said.

Hong Kong photographic model Eilia spoke out in a recent Post story about rampant abuse in the industry, from groping and harassment to blackmail for sexual favours. Photo: Icep Liu

Oh, and this one: “Why would you agree to do a private photo shoot without bringing a friend along?” Thanks for that comment Sharon L. I always take a friend to work.

It’s not just in the court of public opinion that such comments are aired. Courts of law have also been guilty of victim blaming, with many ignorant comments made by judges worldwide in relation to sexual assault cases: she shouldn’t have been drunk, she shouldn’t have dressed provocatively, she shouldn’t have been out so late …

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In May 2020 a judge in the US state of New Jersey asked an alleged rape victim if she closed her legs to prevent her attacker from assaulting her. Why not say, “He shouldn’t have assaulted her”? The responsibility for sexual assault lies with the perpetrator. End of story.

And let’s not forget comments in the UK from Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire Philip Allott in response to the brutal rape and murder in London this year of Sarah Everard by a police officer who kidnapped the 33-year-old under the guise of an arrest.

“So women, first of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can’t be arrested,” he told BBC Radio York. He resigned soon afterwards.

Sarah Everard was kidnapped, raped and murdered by a serving police officer in the UK. A commissioner of police later resigned after making inappropriate comments about the case in a radio interview. Photo: Metropolitan Police/AFP

Ending sexual violence requires societal change – and that must involve a change in attitude. Sadly, there’s still a long way to go.

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