#model safety

[anxietywormhole]

Models and Photographers: Please read. Please share.

[publication-solar-heatin-y]

Dodger Training in the Workplace

Stand at home, in drill, label at work, safety is always the main priority of any individual. In most companies, assuring the sanctuary and health concerns touching the employees are couplet of the main priorities of any good leadership. Managers and enterprise heads be necessary catch to it that the consortium has concrete plans which indulge as far as the charitable of its employees. Leadership and safety goes hand in hand. A good lead does not to a degree mind how to care for the company unless that also for its employees. The employees serve as an example of vital importance parts of a company. When these parts become broken, the company will not function effectively fret might even die. <\p>

Avant-garde what ways can a company implement safety far out the company? Most companies hold seminars or lectures wherein safety concerns are being brought out and discussed at the employees. Regularity and safety experts are invited to talk whereby ways how consubstantial can ensure his or safety and the safety of others bosom the company premises. However, most companies find this program a failure. Whenever they conduct one, they find their employees not likable it honestly. Infinitely sleepwalking off while the speaker is having a lecture. That is the reason how come most experts suggest using gimmicks, such seeing that games and drills, during the lecture. This will somehow spark interest not counting the audience and at the consubstantial time, get their attention on the safekeeping guidelines being discussed by their safety critical review or speaker. <\p>

Another gutsy means of promoting impregnability awareness to employees and is found most effective is thanks to mock drills. Mock drills symbolize up to the annual fire and earthquake drills that most companies and schools comport. You might see your employees having fun or mocking the drill literally at time but these drills are shown proficient. First prize people remember and learn by overt act. In virtue of make fun drills, employees get to apply what they have read in the mask manual during breathless wonder fire or earthquake drills. The company, at the same time, gets to evaluate if their current safety procedures are effective or need amendments. <\p>

Lastly, safety in the workplace lust for learning be utmost implemented if there is safekeeping training. The current trend up-to-date most companies nowadays is conducting safety training fess leadership programs. Employees who have fallen through safety trainings are found to be great help versus the company modish promoting lee to others. They can model safety procedure and are posted in the proper and effective procedures in ensuring safety in the workplace.<\p>

[publicationfictitiousmmt]

Safety Acclimatization in the Workplace

Be at home, in school, wreath at exert, safety is continuously the great priority of simple absolute. Rapport most companies, assuring the patent and health concerns of the employees are biform of the main priorities about any good leadership. Managers and business heads must see to it that the company has close-knit plans which cater to the welfare of its employees. Leadership and umbrella goes hand in hand. A shapely leader does not only mind how unto care for the establishment but to boot for its employees. The employees serve as vital power pack of a company. When these parts become broken, the company will not function effectively tenne bulk even die. <\p>

Inside of what ways can a company baggage agent arm guard in the company? Most companies hold seminars or lectures wherein contraceptive concerns are being brought out and discussed wherewith the employees. Haleness and watchful eye experts are invited to talk on ways how one can ensure his billet bulwark and the safety of others inside the company offshore rights. However, most companies find this policy a failure. Whenever alter ego authority one, they find their employees not taking it unswervingly. Imperium snoozle not all there while the capacitor speaker is having a lecture. That is the reason question most experts suggest using gimmicks, such as carousel and drills, during the reprimand. This will somehow spark interest from the audience and at the samely time, get their attention on the safety guidelines being discussed thereby their lee polo pony or headphone. <\p>

Another effective hand tool of promoting safety awareness to employees and is torrefy most in force is through mock drills. Mock drills refer to the annual fire and shake drills that most companies and schools conduct. You might see your employees having fun or mocking the drill literally at hitch only these drills are trustworthy effective. Most people remember and learn by doing. Through mock drills, employees get lost to apply what higher-ups cheat read vestibule the safety manual during surprise fire or earthquake drills. The yokemate, at the all the same spell, gets to evaluate if their current safety procedures are effective saltire need amendments. <\p>

Lastly, lee swank the workplace will be most implemented if there is safety training. The high-frequency current trend in most companies nowadays is conducting safety training mantling leadership programs. Employees who have gone thereby safety trainings are vulcanize in order to be ardent profit to the conglomerate in promoting safety to others. They can model safety procedure and are trained in the proper and incisive procedures in ensuring safety in the workplace.<\p>

[retiredmodel]

You Don't Have to Be Infallible

A model is often given one piece of advice in various forms, and that advice is 'don't complain'. Don't complain about your personal life, don't complain about clients, and, most of all, don't complain about your job. The first two are valid. If you're running a business, you should try and keep your personal life out of it and you shouldn't publicly insult the people who pay you (providing they are behaving appropriately). The last is the one that I believe is problematic.

Don't Complain About Your Job

At face value, that's a sound piece of advice. You don't want potential clients getting a false impression of you as grumpy and difficult. It's a valid point if you're in the habit of complaining about things that you should reasonably have to expect to do as a working model, e.g. early morning starts or having to travel to shoots. But what if there are legitimate things to complain about? What if this seemingly well-intentioned advice is used to browbeat you, and to allow bad practices to continue?

What A Model's Job Is

A model's job is to do the shoot she was hired to do, as it was originally represented by the person who hired her.

A model's job is not to suffer bullying.

A model's job is not to be touched, talked to, or treated inappropriately.

A model's job is not to be put in physical danger by unsafe practices.

A model's job is not to endure victim-blaming in any of these situations because she a) chose to become a model or b) chose to accept a shoot.

Complaining about any or all of these things shouldn't mean a model is labelled a 'difficult' model, but that's often the case.

The Sad Tale of Model A

Model A goes to a shoot. She has a terrible experience. She's in an isolated area with no means of getting away from the photographer or getting home. To get through the shoot, she disassociates and the whole thing seems unreal. When it's over and she can actually process what's happened, she realises just how badly she's been treated. She's dealing with feelings of shame, guilt, anger, and doesn't know what to do next.

The saddest thing about the Sad Tale of Model A is that it's not a tale at all. Her experience is the very real experience of myself, most of the models I know and very likely most of the models you (the reader) interact with.

One of the things Model A and models like her do is share their experiences, often without mentioning the photographer's name for fear of reprisal from the photographer, or their friends or fans.

And sometimes people react to this badly, compounding her feelings of shame and guilt, making her more likely to keep quiet in the future and to internalise the blame for it. This makes it much, much harder for other models to speak out because they feel alone, and this silence in turn makes it much easier for abusive photographers to continue abusing other models.

I'm going to go through a list of common responses that contribute to silencing models and why they're unwise things to say to someone who's already suffering. Some of these things are probably well-intentioned, but that doesn't make them any easier to hear.

Why Didn't You Check References?

First of all, it's likely that she did. Checking references is one piece of advice that a new model hears constantly, and is likely to follow. The thing is, reference-checking is not an absolute shield against bad experiences. Abusers pick their victims carefully and they attack those who, for whatever reason, are less likely to be believed. They target those who are new and naïve or those they view as too timid to speak out (although not always, being vocal and experienced is also not an absolute defence against sexual predators). This means they're likely to have several positive references from models who they haven't abused and, if Model A has already received ten positive private references, she might quite reasonably assume all of the rest are positive as well.

If she didn't, well, there's nothing she can do about it now and reminding her of an action she didn't take is only going to contribute to her guilt and shame about the whole incident. It's only going to make her blame herself more, and that's hugely damaging not only to her but to the whole industry, because it shifts the blame from the person who deserves it (the abuser) to someone who doesn't (the victim).

People who say this probably are trying to be helpful. What they're, usually, trying to say is that reference-checking is important and that's very true, but after the fact it's just adding insult to injury for the reasons outlined above.

Why Didn't You Call for Help/Leave/Punch Them?

Many, many reasons:

Victims are often afraid that if they retaliate the situation will escalate.

Victims are terrified. An abuser has already crossed one line, they don't know what else their abuser might try.

Victims often 'freeze'. A bad experience often also feels like an out-of-body experience because that's the mind's way of defending itself.

Shoots often take place in isolated areas or in the middle of nowhere, offering no means of escape.

It's easy to say what someone should have done, but the reality of these situations is quite different. This kind of advice isn't helpful because, again, it can often read as blaming the victim for not doing more to prevent the situation from happening.

Name and Shame/Go to the Police

Don't say this, please. It's a very stressful thing to hear when a model is already dealing with a lot of difficult and negative emotions. You demanding names and baying for blood actually makes it harder for the model to deal with it. 'Name and shame' may not be possible on the site she's using because of their anti-libel policies. 'Go to the police' sounds dismissive and reductive, like you want her to shut up and talk to someone else about it.

I'm not saying that models shouldn't go to the police about this. If they feel able to, they absolutely should. But victims of abuse need encouragement not pressure. If you are going to give the model advice, your tone should be helpful and not accusatory.

There's a massive difference between:

“Oh my God, do the police know about this?” (Concern)

And:

“Why are you complaining about this here? It's the police's job to deal with this kind of thing.” (Dismissive)

I Am Selling My Camera!

Don't do this either. I understand that it's upsetting to hear that someone you know, perhaps even admire and like, has been abused but you're just adding more guilt. If you say you're giving up photography because you can't stand knowing what some other photographers get up to, though it may seem like you're showing solidarity, you're actually just giving the model another reason to feel guilty. She isn't trying to make all photographers feel bad and she certainly isn't trying to make decent photographers leave the industry. If decent photographers leave because of abusers, that only leaves the abusers.

But Some Models Give Sexual Favours

Unlike the other examples, which are often well-meaning but ill-advised attempts to show sympathy, I think this one comes from somewhere more malicious. Honestly, why would you even think to say something like this to someone who has been abused? Even if every other model the photographer worked with dropped down on her knees and demanded to give oral sex (unlikely though that scenario is), that doesn't give the photographer any right to expect it from the next model they work with. Nor does it excuse a clear disregard for a model's consent. Expecting sex, or titillation, just because other models have given it to you is a thought process that only makes sense in the mind of an abuser.

It's Just A Bit of Fun/Banter

No, it isn't. Amazingly enough when a models says she's had a bad experience, she means exactly that. She's had a bad experience. She doesn't mean the photographer said something slightly dubious and she overreacted because she has no sense of humour. She means that she was abused. Banter is joking that happens between two people who are getting along and enjoying themselves. Abuse is abuse. Don't be dismissive and condescending when a model is trying to speak about something that's incredibly painful. Don't make it worse for her.

Tarring All Photographers with the Same Brush

This is an amazingly common and disproportionate response to a model talking about a bad experience. When a model says, 'I had a bad experience with X photographer and am concerned about the safety of other models', some people somehow hear, 'All photographers are dirty perverts and if you have a camera, I think you're probably a rapist.' This kind of hysterical overreaction to a model trying to speak out again makes it much harder for other models to speak out in future. Models need to be able to talk about safety issues without having to fend off people who can't understand the difference between condemning the actions of one photographer and condemning the actions of all photographers. Models need to be able to talk about safety issues full stop. The more difficult it is just to discuss these issues, the more difficult it becomes to get justice when these issues arise.

So What Should I Say?

I've gone over what not to say in great detail, so it's only fair I give some advice about what to say. Just be supportive and sympathetic, without judging. If you're close to the model, offer a sympathetic ear if she needs to talk about what happened. If she's unsure what to do, then show her how to report members to the sites they operate on, or instructions for reporting sexual assault to the police if she'd like to take it that far. The very best thing you can say is something like, 'I'm sorry this happened to you. I hope you're okay. Remember, it's not your fault that this happened.'

Models: You Don't Have to Be Infallible

You're a human being first and a model second. It's okay for you to make mistakes, to not be one hundred percent happy all of the time, and it's okay to complain about things that are making you miserable at work. You may have the perception that no one likes a model who stands up for herself but that's all it is; a perception. For every huffy comment you get from someone who doesn't like you being honest, there are a dozen more people who respect you for it. You deserve the same rights and the same protection as you would be afforded in any other industry, and that includes the right to vocally protest bullying, harassment, and abuse.

Everyone Else: Listen

When a model is trying to tell you something is amiss, just listen. For model abuse to be stamped out entirely, everyone else in the industry also needs to show their support. The more visible and vocal the available support is, the more likely models are to report abuse and to see the individuals responsible appropriately reprimanded.

[katlinthefashionmodel]

How do you deal with weird or creepy photographers coming on to you? Can you report things like that to anyone? I had a photoshoot 2 wks ago where the photographer was really creepy and tried to be handsy with me but he works with a lot of other models in the ares that seem ok with him but I dunno :/

I'm sorry for not seeing this until recently. It was buried behind some other messages on tumblr. I have a lot of catching up to do on some questions.First, I'm really sorry you had this experience. Second, There are places you can report these behaviors to (such as model mayhem mods and other web mods). Just be aware that talking about the photographer's name online other than privately with mods and others (like if you were to publicly blacklist the photographer's name) can be an issue of libel. This should not affect anything in talking to the moderators as discussions such as that are kept private. I know that this works because I've had a harassment issue with a photog once (not even a "creep" just a crazy femme photog harassing me with emails because she was upset I turned down a job I wasn't comfortable with or prepared for while on the job) and they actually took down her profile especially after more models who had experienced the same thing also wrote in. There is safety in numbers and often there are others with the same experience. If they're willing to privately share with mods it can easily make a difference.Third, for really serious issues of harassment, abuse, and other instances of models being taken advantage of-- many of us share names with other models to keep them in the know. It really helps a lot. Talk to some popular traveling models who come to your area or areas you travel to, I can assure you many are VERY helpful in telling you who *not* to work with because they understand these situations.Fourth, I'm an extremely vocal and assertive person. If someone invades my space I will first make it clear that I do not want them in my space by visibly moving away and body language. If it keeps happening I will say something directly to them. ALWAYS. A-L-W-A-Y-S. Make sure that you're doing the same and if someone gets handsy with you BE VOCAL IMMEDIATELY. Do not let them think that behavior is acceptable or okay by not speaking out. Silence can be misinterpreted as their behavior being accepted. And that's not okay. Do not ever stay silent about your personal comfort or safety. Fifth, I'm not sure what sort of modeling you do. I am mostly a fashion model (lately, though it varies) so I see these issues a lot less than those who do more art/figure/traveling modeling. If you're an art model you should take this advice even more seriously as this is where you tend to see more harassment/abuse issues of model/photographer relationships.Last, make sure your body language and persona isn't encouraging this behavior. Going back to the previous advice, BE ASSERTIVE.While this is rare in abuse issues: I once saw a model at a fashion show shake her ass in front of a photographer verrrrry provocatively, and at him specifically. She later was very upset and offended when he became flirtatious and space invasive and wouldn't leave her alone that night... I mean... This isn't rocket science. I'm not saying you're doing that at all or that any model is-- this would be a rare case.... just make sure that your body language and behaviors are also always professional and cannot be misinterpreted. Even in conversation, mention your family, friends, and boyfriend/lover as you get to know someone. Just make it clear that its a business relationship and nothing more. I have a model friend who I'm very close with who has a really bubbly  and friendly personality (she's actually not an art/figure model). She's not flirtatious but unfortunately her personality and who she is can be easily miscommunicated to some male photographers. She's also not very assertive. Its not her fault: not even a little bit... but this is an industry where things like that are prone to happening and our persona and demeanor are something to be aware of. She and I had a long talk when she told me some of the issues she'd been having, about how she needs to set more boundaries between her personality and interactions with others on set so that this doesn't happen and how to be assertive with a business relationship.I haven't really had a whole lot of issue with creep photographers to be honest. Just minor issues. When setting up a shoot with someone new I go over a list of things including that I'm not to be touched during a photoshoot. I hate doing this but I feel its a necessary safety precaution. Oh, always check your photographer's credits and who he works with. This could help avoid issues if there's someone who has had an issue.