A former teen model says she was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from working in the fashion industry.
Jennifer Sky tells The Cut that she was scouted by modeling agents and moved to New York when she was 16.
The experience was traumatizing, according to Sky. She writes:
From neglect to molestation to topless photo shoots to men exposing themselves to being made to stand in a freezing pool until I turned blue, I would be abused for the entirety of my career...My naturally outgoing personality changed: I became withdrawn and startled easily. It became hard for me to travel new routes, to eat at new restaurants, or even shop at the corner store. I became so timid I no longer spoke. I eventually did not leave my room unless I had a job or a casting.
She quit the industry when she was 17 and became an actress with roles in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Xena.
Today, she stresses the importance of legislation that protects young models.
Sky moved to New York in 2010. She's working as a writer and attending therapy.
SEE ALSO: How Gisele Went From Awkward Teen To The World's Highest-Paid Model
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