Miss Earth England, Miss Earth Guam share sexual harassment experiences during pageant

Two more beauty queens came forward following Canada's Jaime VandenBerg's claim that she was propositioned during one of the pre-pageant activities of Miss Earth.

English beauty queen Abbey-Anne Gyles-Brown on Wednesday came forward with her own version of the story, confirming VanderBerg's allegations against an unnamed sponsor.

"I enjoyed 50% of my trip but the other 50% was over shadowed by feeling exploited, vulnerable, unnerved & sexually harassed as I was approached by a sponsor on many occasions who asked for sexual favours in exchange for the Crown," Gyles-Brown declared on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

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My personal encounter @missearth. • It’s time to speak up about my personal experience. I have been in close contact with my national director and all incidents have been noted. I have worked very hard for my title of Miss Earth England and as I have previously mentioned I took 4 years to get to the top and win my place at the Internationals. I was elated to finally represent England over in the beautiful Philippines. My trip was a rollercoaster of emotions, stress and endurance and I did not leave the pageant as I was not going to miss out on the experience. I have many beautiful memories of my time here in the Philippines and many wonderful days. I met happy Filipinos who showed me such kindness and respect. I enjoyed 50% of my trip but the other 50% was over shadowed by feeling exploited, vulnerable, unnerved & sexually harassed as I was approached by a sponsor on many occasions who asked for sexual favours in exchange for the Crown. This happened at Manila Yacht Club on a sponsored evening meal away from the team managers behind closed doors. The sponsor also tried to find out what hotel and room I was staying in. Myself and Canada approached Team Managers to express our disgust only to be laughed at. Another official attendee of the night told me not to cry as I would ruin my makeup! There was no respect or compassion shown to myself or Jaimie. I felt traumatised by this experience and had many sleepless nights. I was not sure who had my personal details including my mob number and hotel room. It was not only myself and Canada who were approached on this night but other delegates who I believe are going to come forward and tell their side of the story. I approached Lorraine Schuck who is the Vice President Of Miss Earth she informed me that the sponsor would be removed from all contact with contestants but this did not happen. As other groups experienced the same issue. Myself and @missjaimeyvonne removed ourselves from this uncomfortable environment and sat on the bus away from further exploitation. This is one of many incidents we faced during our Miss Earth Journey! The said sponsor in fact show up at a prelim event and also attended the Coronation night

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Nov 7, 2018 at 6:47am PST

According to Gyles-Brown, she was also approached during a sponsored dinner at the Manila Yacht Club.

"The sponsor tried to find out what hotel and room I was staying in. [Miss Canada and I] approached Team Managers to express our disgust only to be laughed at," the English beauty queen said.

In response to her and Miss Canada's concerns, Gyles-Brown said an "official attendee" had advised her not to cry "as it would ruin her makeup."

"There was no respect or compassion shown to myself or [Jamie, Miss Canada]."

RELATED: Miss Earth Canada says she was sexually harassed during pageant

Gyles-Brown said that Lorraine Schuck, Vice President of Carousel Productions, assured her that the sponsor will be "removed from all contact with other contestants", but this did not happen. The sponsor allegedly attended both the preliminary competition and the coronation night.

The beauty queen said that this incident has marred her otherwise wonderful experience in the Philippines.

"I have many beautiful memories of my time here in the Philippines and many wonderful days. I met happy Filipinos who showed me such kindness and respect," she said as a preface to her statement.

Gyles-Brown on her Instagram stories said that other candidates will be coming forward, too.

"We haven't posted anything as of yet because so much has happened and we don't want to leave any information left unsaid! Please be patient and support all opf us and Miss Canada. [When] you hear the full story, you will understand."

She added, "I don't want any young woman going through what we experienced whilst competing in what we thought was an ecological pageant. That's why we're speaking up! No woman should be treated as an object!"

 

 

 

 

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My side of the Miss Earth International Experience: - After a year and a half of preparation for my first beauty pageant; the Miss Earth pageant, I was excited to travel back to the Philippines for the 6th time. The hospitality of the Filipinos is not found anywhere else. The Philippines is like a second home to me. I joined the pageant to make a difference and be a role model to those around me. I enjoyed a majority of the pageant, but what I did not know, is that a specific sponsor from the Manila Yacht Club would change the way I see pageantry and sponsors. The sponsor who’s name is Amado S. Cruz became a problem for many of the delegates, including myself. To focus on ONLY myself, I was pulled aside multiple times to be invited to Boracay, private islands and into his house and insisted that I and “the latino women dance for him.” Amado S. Cruz grabbed my bare backside at the National Costume Competition where I was able to push him away, but he consistently told me not to tell anyone about any of the instances. At the Manila Yacht Club, Amado S. Cruz ensured that the team managers and security personnel were separated in another room, this is where he made many girls uncomfortable. A groups of us left the room because we felt uncomfortable, but Amado S. Cruz followed us and insisted that we stayed inside to dance with him. We asked our team managers to bring us to the busses, which took over 20 minutes for them finally to do. Later on that night @missjaimeyvonne and @Miss.Earth.England spoke on the phone with Lorraine Schuck, the Vice President of Miss Earth, who assured them that Amado S. Cruz would not be at any other event. From the moment the pageant started until coronation night, Amado S. Cruz was at every event and dinner he could physically get to. Since other delegates have posted, multiple other queens from past years have come out about the same behavior. I want to help put a stop to this sponsor being apart of the Miss Earth International Pageant because he has become a problem for years. #missearth2018 #missearth #MeToo @missearth

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Nov 7, 2018 at 2:39pm PST

Meanwhile, Miss Earth Guam Emma Sheedy on Thursday joined Gyles-Brown and VanderBerg in speaking out against a sponsor who behaved inappropriately during several Miss Earth pre-pageant activities.

On Instagram, Sheedy said that like Gyles-Brown and VanderBerg, a sponsor also propositioned her at the Manila Yacht Club.

"To focus on ONLY myself (personal experience), I was pulled aside multiple times to be invited to Boracay, private islands and into his house and insisted that I and 'the [Latina] women dance for him,'" Sheedy said.

She added that at the Manila Yacht Club, the sponsor "ensured that the team managers and security personnel were separated in another room, this is where he made many girls uncomfortable. A groups of us left the room because we felt uncomfortable." 

Sheedy said that she and other candidates asked that they be brought to the buses after the incident, but it took them 20 minutes to act.  

Sheedy identified the sponsor on her post, and posted a photo of him on her Instagram stories. The beauty queen said that the same sponsor grabbed her bare backside during the National Costume Competition.  

Sheedy said that they are speaking out to prevent future contestants from having the same terrible experience. She is hoping that Miss Earth organizers sever ties with the sponsor.

Schuck in an interview with GMA News' Lhar Santiago refuted some of VanderBerg's claims and said that several policewomen were there to make sure all candidates were safe.

Schuck maintained that she would have never allowed such an incident to take place if she had been informed, countering VanderBerg and Gyles-Brown's claims that they approached her.

GMA News Online has reached out to representatives from the Miss Earth pageant and Carousel Productions for further comments, but has yet to receive a reply. — LA, GMA News