KUALA LUMPUR – Instagram page @blacklistpgs_malaysia claims to be on a crusade to expose photographers who sexually harass models.
The page went viral on social media recently after it “exposed” a photographer who had allegedly sexually harassed numerous models on Instagram.
The Vibes contacted @blacklistpgs_malaysia recently and was told that the page was started by an alleged victim based on “impulsive action”.
“It angers me how victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment in this community are mostly pressured to remain silent on their experiences.
“This is due to it being extremely difficult to press charges legally due to the lack of concrete evidence,” @blacklistpgs_malaysia said when contacted.
Given that aspiring models on Instagram can easily become victims of predators because there is a lack of information available on which photographers to be wary of, the platform was started to create awareness, the account’s handler stressed.
They said the page started when photographer @SakiYurai on Instagram sought to expose a shutterbug over his conduct on his social media.
“A few other photographers contacted and talked to me upon finding out that I am one of the victims,” @blacklistpgs_malaysia told The Vibes.
On the Instagram page, in addition to guidelines for victims to report predators, there is only one “exposed” photographer on the account at the time of publishing.
Asked if there are other photographers to be exposed, the purported victim replied: “Generally, the aim is to create awareness of sexual predators.
“We have actually exposed a few photographers in the past, but we took a short break because of our own personal priorities in life.
“Our ultimate goal is to create a platform where new, aspiring models and also photographers are able to obtain information on the ethics of being a photographer or model, and also know who to watch out for.”
Photographer “Brendan Lee” has responded to the allegations on the Coconuts KL web portal, stating they are false and that he is seeking avenues to take legal action.
However, @blacklistpgs_malaysia claims the denial is confusing.
“We find it confusing that he can claim that all allegations are defamatory when there are over 30 testimonies and (the alleged victims) do not even know each other.
“The 30-odd victims have provided similar claims and statements that he has sexually harassed and assaulted them,” @blacklistpgs_malaysia alleged.
The Instagram page’s handler assured that she had no intention to destroy his career; only create a safe environment for models.
They also understand there is a possibility some of the accusations may be false with ill intent to destroy a person’s reputation, but @blacklistpgs_malaysia made assurances that they have a stringent investigative process before making any allegations.
“We will first question the victim regarding the full details of the incident, and request them to provide any evidence that they deem useful to prove their statements.
“After that, we will investigate the evidence provided by the victim, and review or consult other models who have worked with the photographer in the past,” they added.
Should evidence be sufficient to indicate that a photographer has demonstrated such behaviour, a social media post would then be created, attaching the details of the alleged predator and evidence of the matter.
“There is definitely a possibility that false information may damage a person’s reputation.
“This is why we take extreme caution when making equally extreme claims, and usually refrain from making statements if there is insufficient testimony,” they said.
When asked if they contacted the alleged perpetrator before exposing him, @blacklistpgs_malaysia said they did not and claimed they had sufficient evidence to prove the allegations accurate.
“Contacting him would also allow him the opportunity to contact, blackmail or threaten the victims he has worked with,” they claimed. – The Vibes, April 12, 2021
