SEX TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries and two others have been arrested on charges of running an international sex-trafficking ring wherein his partner Matthew Smith and another coerced dozens of men into sex acts during his tenure at the clothing company.
Accusations from 15 people said they had been sexually exploited and coerced into sex acts using force, fraud and coercion. A third person, James Jacobson was employed by them to act as a recruiter. Mr. Jacobson paid men to engage in sex acts with him and he would choose the ones who would travel to events in New York City, the Hamptons and elsewhere across the globe for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex.
Aspiring male models were convinced that attending their secretive events, which were operated by staff bound by nondisclosure agreements, could lead to modelling opportunities. The men said Mr. Jeffries threatened them and warned them that failure to comply with requests for certain acts during the events could harm their career prospects. The men were pressured to consume alcohol, Viagra and muscle relaxants during the events, and they were forced to engage in sex acts without their consent. The victims, at least one of whom was as young as 19, were also not able to leave the events without Mr. Jeffries’s and Mr. Smith’s approval.
This being a class action suit not only against Mr. Jeffries but Abercrombie as well, the Company is embroiled in the law suit. The law firm representing plaintiffs in the class-action suit against Abercrombie and Mr. Jeffries, said the arrests were “monumental for the aspiring male models who were victimized by these individuals.” They also said “Their fight for justice does not end here. Our clients look forward to holding Abercrombie and Fitch liable for facilitating this terrible conduct and ensuring that this cannot happen again.”
#Sexual harassment at the workplace cannot be permitted
#POSH policies must be strictly enforced
#IC ‘s should be proactive
#POSH applies to all irrespective of hierarchy.
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/business/mike-jeffries-arrested-sex-trafficking
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/sextrafficking