A local photographer has been accused of sexual assault from a number of models who had previously worked with him.
It all came to light when the Instagram page, Blacklisted Photographers (@blacklistpgs_malaysia), called for models who have worked with the photographer to come forward with their personal experiences, and the messages came flooding in.
“We are actively trying to reach more people regarding this incident to obtain concrete evidence that can be used to take legal action.”
“If you know anyone, or you, yourself, are a victim of (the photographer), kindly contact @blacklistpgs_malaysia to give your statement, we will keep your identity anonymous if required,” they wrote in their most recent post.
Sexual assault allegations
Some of the accusations made against Lee include inappropriate touching during shoots, forceful removal of clothing, and even sales of nude photos without the consent of the model.
He had also allegedly forced some of the victims into participating in sexual acts, with the excuse that it would make a good photo.
And all of this was allegedly done while some of these models were underaged.
One model shared how Lee had allegedly fed her alcohol in order to ‘loosen her up’.
“He has touched my chest area without consent for shoots to make them ‘look better’. One time, when I was younger, after feeding me alcohol to loosen me up, he took out his penis and made suggestions to lick it for ‘risque shots’.”
“He pulled me in and attempted to put it in my mouth but I pushed him away and went to the bathroom to vomit. I asked to go home immediately,” she said.
Two more models shared how Lee had apparently pressured them into taking their clothes off for shoots while one of them had her breasts felt up for ‘photographical purposes’.
Another pattern in these allegations is that Lee would deny models company during their shoots, saying that he couldn’t work with an audience.
But the oddest allegation yet is when a model shared how Lee had allegedly invited her to watch how far he could ejaculate.
“There’s one time, after the photoshoot, when I was about to pack and go home, he showed me his d*ck and asked me whether I want to see how far he can shoot and to help him out. I just told him to ‘do what you want but I’m good’.”
“After he ejaculated, he asked me to bring him tissues and I passed it to him while making sure I wasn’t going to step on it,” she said.
Others have also accused Lee of forcing them to sign contracts and release forms that stated that they were not allowed to defame his brand.
“At the end of the shoot, he had this whole stack of papers, entailing things like ‘you cannot repost without tagging’ and ‘you cannot defame (the photographer’s brand).”
“Basically, a bunch of made-up legal terms to protect his image and justify his actions,” another model shared.
She also stated that he apparently didn’t allow her to leave until she signed the papers.
“Because, you can’t leave his studio until you sign it like he wasn’t going to order my Grab until I signed it,” she added.
All in all, there have been more than 30 different allegations set against Lee.
“Over the years, we have received over 30 allegations on Lee for sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual coercion,” said Blacklisted Photographers.
Blacklisted Photographer’s role
When asked by WORLD OF BUZZ as to why they created the Blacklisted Photographers Instagram page, they shared that they were also an alleged victim of Lee.
“Honestly, starting this page was an impulsive action. I myself, actually am a victim of Lee, and it angers me how victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment in this community are mostly pressured to remain silent on their experiences due to it being extremely difficult to press charges legally due to the lack of ‘concrete evidence.’
“It also made me realise how easy it is for new, aspiring models and talents in the community to become victims of predators as there is a lack of publicly available information on which photographers one should look out for. So, at that moment, I decided to start a platform where I can raise awareness on predators in the community, and that’s pretty much how the following platform started out,” they shared.
Telegram
WORLD OF BUZZ also found that Lee has a Telegram page called ‘Resleeved’ where he sells unpublished and uncensored images that he has taken of models for a lifetime subscription of USD169 (RM689.90).
When asked about the allegations, Lee shared with WORLD OF BUZZ that they are untrue.
“Yes, I deny. It’s all defamatory, designed to ruin my career. I am in the midst of identifying the perpetrators to initiate the necessary legal actions through my lawyers,” he said, adding that he will be making an official statement soon.
While we hope that the authorities look into the allegations made against the photographer, we’re glad that there is now a platform that allows models to share their experiences with predatory photographers.
May the guilty party face the justice of the law.
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comment section.
Also read: M’sian Calls Out ‘Friend’ Who Said She Looked Like A Prostitute For Wearing Top With Cutouts
