Sexual Exploitation in The Modelling Industry

 

By Austine Okande and Mkala Mwaghesha

The late night hours have now morphed into the wee hours of dawn, a good three hours later than the event was scheduled to end. The skimpily dressed girls seem stranded as guests leave at their own pleasure. Those that remain behind continue to dance and make merry. A few of the models join in the dance floor and before long, some elderly man — one of the guests of honour, a few hours and few drinks before — is now seductively gyrating with a pint-sized young model. Soon, they leave, hands around each other’s waist, and get into his car, leaving little doubt as to what activities they intend to crown their night with.

“What do you expect some of us to do? This event was supposed to end at 10pm, it is now 1am, yet we were paid only Sh500. I live along Thika Road, that money cannot afford me a cab and there are no matatus at this time,” explains one of the models left behind. She is still skimpily dressed despite the chill and seemingly ready to grab any chance that dances her way.

Lured by the glamour and splendour associated with modelling, hordes of other naïve girls and boys are now falling prey to con-agencies while many others are trapped in outrageous demands for sex by their agents.

 “It is estimated that Nairobi has thousands of modelling agencies with an estimate of only 50 of these having genuine credentials,” says Leakey Odera.

 In an interview with Pulse, the reigning Mrs Universe Esther Wahome, says most young people now venture into fashion because of the glare of cameras and money they anticipate from product endorsements.

 “With most of them being naïve, they often get conned or used as sex objects by people running theses agencies,” she adds.

 One such victim is Juma*, a male model currently based in Australia. We caught up with him, over the weekend, at the Bow and Tie fashion event at The House, Nairobi.

 Juma ventured into modelling immediately after he completed high school in 2009.

“I was sexually molested, more than once, by my manager in late 2010. He is currently the owner of a reputable modelling agency in Kenya.”

 While puffing away his cigar, the smartly donned lad opines that if it happened to him, it definitely is happening to many young people, regardless of gender.

 

                           Kenyan model Esther Wahome

Brian Roberts, a budding designer and owner of Brads Fashions agency, echoes this sentiment.

“Many of Kenyan modelling agencies are marred with corruption, favouritism and outrageous exploitation including sexual favours, with women being the major victims.”

 “Sexual favours are a worldwide phenomenon. Most models give in to such demands because they are desperate and view it as a no-strings-attached relationship,” adds Leakey, who owns Pambazuka Entertainment.

 Models in a university beauty contest, which Pulse recently graced, also claim that some of the girls feted as Miss Campus for their respective institutions either sleep with or bribe the judges.

 Victoria Mwai a Second Year student at the University of Nairobi was once in such a fix.

“Last year, six contestants and I had to pull out of a contest because it was clear most of the chics had compromised the judges’ decisions.”

 A proliferation of unregulated agencies could be a cause, according to Leakey who says ten years ago, there were only two agencies and the models were popular, renowned, and the agencies more professional.

  “The likes of Emma Too, Yolanda Masinde and Debra Sanaipei managed to remain household names years later. Presently, three quarters of models do not know who the last two Miss Kenya title holders were.

Most of the notable models we interviewed argued that as much as the industry has considerably grown, the growth is seemingly fruitless because agencies take home the lion’s share of money, leaving the models with little or nothing.

 However, Virginia Nthenya, of the Bow and Tie disagrees, saying that the enthusiasm in the industry is something positive, and at the end of the day, all players go home with their fair share.

 “Each fashion event is flocked by people who can’t get enough of what is on offer,” she said.

 Virginia also argues that with the recent developments where corporates are spending millions shillings in requests for models for their product placements, promotions and fashion events, the potential cannot be over-emphasised.

 While each model hopes to appear on, at least, one billboard in town, only an average of ten get the privilege — the connected, tried and tested.

 “For one to qualify as a runway model, the minimum requirement is an average height of 5’8 for women and 5’9 for men. These are the individuals who can be featured in advertisement for clothes, and appear in beauty pageants with grace and ease.”

 Such individuals are the few who have a steady future, clientele, fame and with luck, the chance to grace international runways,” Leakey argues.

 

But what criteria do the organisers use to tell beauty as a factor from the bevy of women who throng the agencies?

 “Beauty is common sense. One can envision how each lady would hold, let’s say, a bottle of a new beer and make a pick from the lot,” Leakey joked, explaining why most launches are graced by more female models than their male counterparts.

 The amount that models get at the end of shows depends much on an agreement that their agencies and the corporates agree on. The agreement is based on the number of models wanted, the amount of work and the duration that the models will be needed. Also, much of the figure depends on the brand to be showcased and the damaging effect.

 Damaging effect in modelling terms is considered as the effect incurred at clubs or night events where the models can be confused for waiters while they are not. Image always costs more.

 For example, an usher at a launch or event costs from Sh3,000 to Sh10, 000 while a fashion event costs Sh8,000 to Sh20,000, depending much on the number of clothes to be showcased.

 With recruitment a big and thriving entry point, due to the aspirations and ambitions of young ladies, the membership fee ranges from Sh1,000 to Sh5,000 across an array of agencies we visited, with some exclusive and private agencies not taking less than Sh10, 00.

 After paying the membership fee that would cater for a model’s portfolio, the business of the agency is to secure jobs for models and thereafter, earn a commission of 20 per cent to 30 per cent from the amount paid for jobs that the models did.

 This is often not true as most agreements between the agency and model are verbal and, more often, they are paid as little as Sh500 or at most Sh1,500 per event be  it day or night.

 Greed and lack of management skills in most agencies, is to blame for the negative publicity now shrouding the industry. Desperation, naivety and lack of clear-cut payment plans between the agencies and the models are, however, usually the trigger.