Miss Universe Indonesia is one of the most prestigious contests for the ladies of Indonesia, which helped them to come forward and deal with much bigger issues. According to the sources, the Miss Universe Indonesia beauty pageant occurred from 29 July 2023 to 3 August 2023. Six contestants from the pageant have companied an FIR against the organizers for sexual misconduct and harassment.
The complaint has been taken seriously for the respect and safety of women in such a prestigious competition. The organization’s representative also came forward to make assured that an investigation will take place for the allegations and claims.
Allegations of Sexual Abuse and Harassment
Miss Universe Indonesia’s six contestants said that the organizers called them for a body check into a room in their underwear only. The room includes at least 20 people including men. The contestants feel that they were the subject of demean body checks. On this, organizers justify that body checks are necessary to check whether the contestants have any scars, tattoos, and other things on their bodies or not.
However, the statement of the organizers was not justified and received a lot of contradiction. Maria Harfanti, former Miss Universe, also stated that if the organizers have to check scars, they should adopt better means with which the contestants feel safe.
Also, the six contestants said that they were forced to pose topless and were photographed as well. The invasive checks during the competitions are not needed so they should be checked.
Contestants Speak Out
According to the sources, one of the contestants explained how she was feeling at the time of the demeaning body check. She added that she was asked to pose inappropriately, which made her extremely uncomfortable in the room. She was also told to open her legs and pose which gave her trauma. While another contestant shared the experience and tell that the situation in the room for checking left her depressed and traumatized. She felt difficulty sleeping because of misconduct by the organizers.
Investigations Process
The organizers of Miss Universe Indonesia said that they acknowledge the statements of the contestants as the check was necessary for the competition. Moreover, the organization said that they will conduct a thorough investigation based on the statements of the contestants.
The organization further added that the safety of the contestants is the utmost important thing to care about because of the level of the contest. Also, they will take the allegations much more seriously and helps the police to investigate the entire matter.
Miss Universe Indonesia: A Controversial Pageant
Miss Universe Indonesia is one of the most important pageants for the selection of the Indonesian representative in the Miss Universe pageant. The official organization body of Miss Universe Indonesia kept on changing over the past several years. According to Wikipedia, on 8 February 2023, the franchise was granted Datin Wira Poppy Capella Swastika, which was a new organization body.
The recent controversy over invasive checks has made the situation serious because contestants claimed that they were photographed topless which was completely unnecessary. It also rise the issue of women’s safety and better & equal opportunities for ladies.
The Miss Universe Indonesia pageant, meant to celebrate the strength, beauty, and intelligence of women, has taken a disturbing turn with contestants alleging sexual abuse and harassment. The courage of these contestants to speak out against such behavior highlights the urgent need for safeguarding the rights and dignity of women in all spheres of society. As investigations continue, these allegations serve as a stark reminder of the challenges that women still face in many parts of the world, even in events that are meant to empower them.
