Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago took to social media to reveal that she experienced sexual harassment from a priest when she was younger.
Her revelations came after three Miss Earth beauty queens claimed that they were sexually harassed by one of the sponsors when the pageant was held in the Philippines earlier this month.
Santiago said that sexual harassment exists beyond the world of pageantry and that she has experienced it first-hand.
“I was molested when I was a child by a priest. He is still preaching somewhere in Masbate,” she said, not revealing the identity of the person she was referring to.
She then said that a 21-year-old male pageant winner made a move on her when she was only 12, and that a “well-known businessman” touched her inappropriately in a separate incident.
“This guy is a well-known CEO of a big company, companies pa nga eh. He even organized parties for girls who didn’t win with his friends,” she said.
“The next time I met him I was a [beauty pageant] candidate and the organizers were there to see things thoroughly. He couldn’t interact with us because the chairwoman was present and so as the chaperones. Still, he was talking nonsense to us,” Santiago added.
Moreover, she also said that she had an experience with a “middle-aged man” who “managed to accidentally swing his hand [to touch her] behind”.
The former Miss International titleholder also revealed that a fellow beauty queen had an uncomfortable experience when they “were at the Congress or Senate”, seemingly unsure where the harassment took place.
“I still feel guilty for not speaking up and file complaints or slap the hell out of them. I guess speaking up now will help the future Queens,” she said. “I am honestly really scared to speak up. I hope I won’t regret this.”
After revealing her story, Santiago posted a statement on her Instagram Stories to say that she is doing well and thank the people who have expressed their concern.
