Miss Universe Indonesia: Contestants complain of sexual harassment

Several Miss Universe Indonesia candidates person accused organisers of intersexual maltreatment successful constabulary complaints.

The contestants were asked to instrumentality disconnected their tops for "body checks" and photographs 2 days earlier the finals connected 3 August, 1 of their lawyers said.

Beauty pageants are allowed successful Indonesia, but organisers are cautious not to offend its blimpish society.

In 2013, the Miss World pageant cancelled its bikini circular erstwhile it was staged successful the chiefly Muslim nation.

Police successful the superior Jakarta said the complaints would beryllium utilized arsenic ground for "further investigation".

Sexual maltreatment is punishable by up to 15 years successful situation nether Indonesian law.

Mellisa Anggraeni, who represents 3 candidates, confirmed the ailment to BBC News Indonesia. She said galore different complainants would travel forward.

Reuters quality bureau reported that six candidates filed complaints with police.

Organisers had told the candidates that the assemblage checks were meant "to analyse immoderate scars, cellulite oregon tattoos connected their bodies", Ms Anggraeni told AFP.

The Miss Universe Indonesia Organisation volition analyse the allegations, said its owner, Indonesian personage Poppy Capella said successful a statement.

The planetary Miss Universe Organisation besides said it was looking into the substance and that it takes allegations of intersexual impropriety "very seriously".

Some of the complainants spoke successful a property league precocious Monday but section tv blurred their faces successful the broadcasts to support their identities.

"As a woman, I consciousness that my rights arsenic a pistillate person been violated, and it has affected maine mentally. I person had occupation sleeping due to the fact that of overthinking," 1 of the women said.

While the assemblage checks were done successful a closed room, determination were immoderate men present, the pistillate said.

The doorway was besides not wholly shut, giving radical extracurricular a presumption of what is happening, she said.

Maria Harfanti, a erstwhile Miss Indonesia who finished 3rd successful Miss World 2015, said assemblage checks are mean successful the country, but contestants are not usually asked to portion naked.

Ms Harfanti said organisers often inquire for the contestants' BMI oregon assemblage wide scale to cheque their assemblage proportions.

Miss Universe, which is present connected its 73rd edition, is fashionable successful South-east Asia, particularly successful Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, wherever winners spell connected to go celebrities and societal media influencers.

Its existent proprietor is Anne Jakrajutatip, a Thai transgender pistillate and media mogul, who has sought to revamp the marque to marque it much inclusive by allowing joined women, transgender women and azygous mothers to compete.