Trigger Warning: SA survivors should be wary of reading this recap, which includes descriptions of scenes which could be triggering for those who have shared experiences.
Margot Sisson has spoken out following the broadcast of two Below Deck Down Under episodes, in which a member of the crew was immediately terminated for climbing into her bed, while she was sleeping, without consent. The bosun, who we are choosing not to name in this article, was completely nude when he did so. Margot took to her Instagram Stories to post her thoughts, feelings, and emotions after the broadcast. Rather than providing our usual commentary, we are going to relay Margot’s full statement below.
Margot makes her statement
“I’d like to start by saying a big thank you to @Aesha_Jean (Aesha Scott) and express the love I have for her. The way she recognized the vulnerability of the situation I was in and her courageous intervention on my behalf was both heroic and so admirable. I thank the universe for her every day, as well as the producers who quickly stepped in. Aesha, you have a heart of gold, I look up to you, and I will forever be grateful.”
“I want to give a HUGE thank you to Jason (Captain Jason Chambers) too, for his immediate response to the situation, leaving no room for any BS. There are unfortunately a lot of captains who would choose to sweep something like this under the rug, I am grateful that Jason is not one of them. Thank you for repeatedly making me feel safe and supported. I wish every captain were just like you. Sending you so much love right now [heart emoji].”
“I also need to shout out my love and appreciation to @ChefTzarina (Tzarina Mace-Ralph) for helping me out when I felt so low and vulnerable, it is true, “Women should be able to [be] black out drunk if they want to. We should be able to stand in a room naked and not have anyone do anything to us.” It was truly eye-opening for me, and I’m sure it hit home for countless women who have also felt shame and somehow to blame for their own experiences. Thank you for holding me, supporting me, and feeding me flapjacks and chicken soup with so much love. I am lucky to have you in my life and you have become such a role model to me. I love you so much.”
Thank you @Harry_Van_Vliet (Harry Van Vliet) for continuing to be perfect. I love watching all of our interactions, you make me smile every single day and you are an incredible person in every way possible. You deserve the world [heart emoji].”
“Last but certainly not least thank you to @AdamVK__ (Adam Lukasiewicz). So far BD haven’t aired a single interaction between us but he was such an important part of my life on the boat. After L*ke got fired, Adam immediately came up to me and said if he had known what was happening, he would have done anything and everything to protect me. He said I was like a sister to him and it was so sweet and I truly adore him so much. It is so disappointing that his soft side is not being shown nearly enough on the show and you are not seeing the Adam that we all know and love. I was completely oblivious to what was going on between him and Laura, and I wish I could go back and be there for him more. Neither of us deserved this. I love you Adam!”
“I want to say THANK YOU for all the beautiful messages coming in from the viewers. Each message is truly brightening my day and warming my heart. I promise you that I will read every single one of them, and I value each person who has taken the time to reach out. I am so grateful to be home with friends and family now and have so much love and support around me, but your messages mean the world to me too.”
“To all the women who have been affected by sexual assault in any way, shape, or form, my heart breaks for you. Please know that you are not alone, and the blame does not belong on your shoulders.
“I understand that this episode was deeply triggering and incredibly difficult for many to watch. However, I believe it was vital to show because this issue is all too real and far too frequent. Perpetrators often escape accountability, and this is not ok. I was lucky to have Aesha and the producers intervene, but I’m all too aware that many women have not and will not be so fortunate and it makes me feel sick to my stomach.”
“If you’ve ever experienced something like this, you should not face ridicule, shame, or have your experience minimized. Had I woken up to a boat full of people who had the same feelings as Laura, I would have continued to think it was my fault, that I deserved it, and what happened was okay. There would have been no consequences, no accountability, and the same thing or worse could have happened again and again to someone else. It breaks my heart to know that this has happened to so many of you reading this. Your emotions are valid, nobody is allowed to blame you, and you can’t blame yourself. Your body is your body, your space is your space, your bed is your bed, and nobody is allowed to enter that bubble without consent.”
“Lastly, I think it is so important for me to mention that I’ve done A LOT of work on myself since filming, and my relationship with alcohol is pretty much non-existent now. When I see the show now, it’s like I’m watching someone else, a complete stranger. Hang in there with me for the rest of the season, and just know that I’ve grown so much since then and I’m so proud of who I am today.”
“If you’re dealing with issues related to sexual assault or alcohol, please remember that you are never alone, help is out there and there is someone who will listen.”
No means no. Every single time. National hotlines can help connect victims, survivors, and their support networks connect with local resources. For more information and resources, you can visit: https://victimconnect.org/resources/national-hotlines/
