Pageant organizer: Allegations being investigated

Tihu Lujan | The Guam Daily Post 4 hrs ago 

Following sexual harassment accusations made by reigning Miss Earth Guam Emma Sheedy, the 18-year-old beauty queen is hoping justice is brought to one of the organization's sponsors for inappropriate comments and unwelcome physical contact she and at least two other contestants said they experienced.

Sheedy, a 2018 Guam High School graduate, confirmed Friday with The Guam Daily Post that the Miss Earth Guam organization, which runs the local pageant, has started an investigation into her claims.

"My main goal is to focus on the sponsor, not the organization, although they should have done something to prevent him from being at the events," Sheedy said. 

Her claims, which she posted on Instagram Thursday, describe incidents in which a male pageant sponsor from the Manila Yacht Club allegedly invited her and other contestants to private locations, insisted they dance for him and grabbed her "bare backside" during the competition, Sheedy posted.

"I just feel as if it's time for this to stop. I joined the pageant to make a difference, not to be objectified. I am an open person who will speak my mind and I want others to be comfortable enough to do the same," Sheedy said.

Miss Earth Canada Jaime Yvonne Vandenberg and Miss Earth England Abbey Anne Gyles-Brown posted on their respective Instagram accounts alleging similar harassment from the same man. Sheedy was first to publicly name the alleged perpetrator.

The allegations received international attention and were published by Philippine news organizations.

Pageant organizer responds

In response to the accusations, Carousel Productions Inc., the Miss Earth pageant organizer, released an official statement detailing the security delegates received when they arrived for the 2018 pageant in Manila. Pageant finals were held Nov. 3.

The pageant organizer stated, "the Miss Earth organization does not condone nor tolerate any rude or immoral behavior towards the delegates by sponsors or anybody for that matter."

The pageant organizer stated Miss Earth delegates are divided into three groups with their own team manager and three Philippine National Police officers, to whom they would report safety or security issues.

After Miss Earth England and Miss Earth Canada made public their experiences on social media, organization officials stated they were aware of the allegations, and assured the delegates they don't condone inappropriate behavior and banned the accused sponsor from future events.

The organization then requested written statements from all delegates to corroborate the prior allegations and learn the extent of the situation.

The official statement on the organization's Facebook page stated, "We were ready to support the two in any action they may have wished to take against the individual who offended them. Unfortunately, instead of working together with us on this matter they opted to go to social media and discredit and disparage the organization."

Sheedy, who posted her experience after Vandenberg and Gyles-Brown, said she doesn't speak for all pageant delegates. She said she blames the sponsor, not the organization. She hopes to see the accused sponsor banned from future Miss Earth pageants and related events.

"I am an advocate for what I'm passionate about, and this issue needs to be heard. I hope something like this doesn't happen again," she said.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/pageant-organizer-allegations-being-investigated/article_7479ce48-e3f5-11e8-a470-73abf4a33a70.html