Melinda Messenger has opened up about being subjected to hundreds of sexual assaults, warning young models to ‘set boundaries’.
The former glamour model, 51, told The Sun she felt a situation in which she received a massage during her time as an F1 grid girl was “wrong”.
However, Melinda decided at the time not to report the incident and ‘put it behind her’.
And even though Melinda admits she endured “hundreds of those” such attacks during the height of her fame, she only hit back once.
Melinda Messenger on sexual assaults
The ex Fort Boyard presenter told the tabloid she wasn’t always able to ‘protect herself properly’ against attacks.
She claimed she had “terrible boundaries” and wasn’t adept at avoiding potentially bad situations.
Melinda even suggested she ‘exploited herself’ and ‘had a part in the game’ as she chose to accept work that involved her looking glamorous.
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Nonetheless, there was one occasion where she refused to let inappropriate behaviour slide – and walked out of a photoshoot.
Melinda added she was in her twenties at the time.
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“The photographer was really inappropriate and making loads of sexual comments and really coming on and being aggressive and quite predatory,” she explained.
The mum-of-three went on to insist young women aspiring to be models should be make sure they have good boundaries and value themselves – and not put up with anything like she went through.
‘I wanted to feel loved’
Melinda also detailed her struggles with fame in the interview – and noted she doesn’t want her own daughter to follow in her footsteps.
The 1990s pin up star found herself suddenly launched into a showbiz world of glitz and glamour.
I had imposter syndrome, and I still do.
But inside she felt like she didn’t belong, even as she was asked out on dates by Hollywood stars.
“I never saw myself as famous – I felt like a normal person, which I was, in this extraordinary world. I had imposter syndrome, and I still do,” Melinda continued.
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But she maintains her hope her 18-year-old daughter Evie will not feel it is her only role to look glam.
Melinda continued: “I unconsciously exploited myself. All I ever really wanted was to be wanted and to feel loved.”
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