*WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTENT IS EXTREMELY SEXUALLY EXPLICIT.*
Charlotte Waters, the 24-year-old left traumatized after posing nude for alleged sex offender Terry Richardson, is taking her story one step further.
As we previously reported, the courageous model started by posting her story anonymously on Reddit, but since then has decided to go public and make her disturbing tale as known as possible. Her hope is to prevent other models from stumbling into similar situations with Terry.
She recently participated in an in-depth interview about her encounter with Vocativ. In it, she delves into her mentality before, during, and after her experience.
Charlotte was apparently SO overwhelmed after her Richardson shoot that she left New York to move to the opposite coast, and has resided in LA ever since.
Now that Charlotte has gone public, she even turned to the NYPD to see if they could do anything to prevent Terry from raping future victims — but their hands were tied since Waters never specifically said ├óΓé¼┼ôno├óΓé¼┬¥ to anything Terry had asked her to do.
Read her full interview …after the jump
So why did you decide to come out about this now?
“A few weeks ago, I started seeing a lot of articles about Richardson andhis behavior that my friends were posting on Facebook. And I was like: ├óΓé¼┼ôI know exactly what these people are talking about!├óΓé¼┬¥ But the articles were all very vague and about rumors, so I wanted to say, ├óΓé¼┼ôHey, I├óΓé¼Γäóve experienced this first hand. These aren├óΓé¼Γäót just rumors.├óΓé¼┬¥ But I wasn├óΓé¼Γäót sure I wanted to come out about this very embarrassing thing I did, so I was just sitting on it for a while. And then I realized that what happened to me is something that has happened to other people and will likely continue to happen until his dick falls off, so I have to say something. I did it through Reddit because I could do it anonymously, and that seemed like a safe way to start.”
How did you wind up nude modeling for Terry Richardson?
“I was 19 and in art school when I decided that I wanted to start nude modeling on the side for money because I was in college and poor. I first started through Model Mayhem, and then I began working through various connections that I met through that. I was having a great time with it. I├óΓé¼Γäóve always liked provocative art, so I think I was definitely an easy target in this situation because I went into it knowing that I was going to be nude. But I didn├óΓé¼Γäót at all anticipate how far he was going to go.
I had seen some of his photographs online and in magazines and stuff, and I really liked his aesthetic. So one day I came across his website, and saw that you could submit a photo to model for him. I did and got an email back pretty quickly, which said, ├óΓé¼┼ôHey we would like to shoot you. Can you come in some time?├óΓé¼┬¥ So we set up a time, and I went in, and that├óΓé¼Γäós how I ended up there.”
What was your experience with these kinds of shoots prior to meeting Richardson?
“There was one amateur photographer that I worked with pretty regularly, and it was always really fun. He never touched me, not even to reposition me or anything. It actually felt really empowering. I also did ├óΓé¼┼ôShot By Kern├óΓé¼┬¥ with Richard Kern. It was part of this ViceTV series, and that was totally cool. I was nude, and Richard Kern is known for provocative photos, but he didn├óΓé¼Γäót even say anything creepy to me. I mean he├óΓé¼Γäód tell me to do stuff like wiggle your ass for the camera, but he was always across the room. The power was balanced. I didn├óΓé¼Γäót feel like he had control over me. And then I also modeled for Ron English, the painter, and that was also totally cool and fun, and I felt good doing it. All of my experiences with other photographers were perfectly professional.”
Did you have any concerns going into the shoot?
“No, I didn├óΓé¼Γäót. I honestly expected it to be just like any of the other times I had modeled nude. I put him on the same level as Richard Kern because they both do what could be considered pornographic photography. I didn├óΓé¼Γäót know Terry Richardson├óΓé¼Γäós reputation for being so directly involved in the photos and crossing all these boundaries.”
OK, so walk us through it. What happened when you first arrived?
“Around 4 o├óΓé¼Γäóclock, I went to his studio. He had his assistant there who was this older woman, probably 40 or 45ish. She had dark hair and a little bit of work done on her face. I think she may have had fake boobs. At first we all sat down at the kitchen table, and she said they were ordering food and asked if I wanted any, and I said no. And then she offered to make me tea. So I was sitting there drinking tea and talking to his assistant, and he was on his computer. After the food came, she had me sign the model release forms, which looked just like any other model release forms. They didn├óΓé¼Γäót say anything about what he was going to do.
The first thing he did was take a photo of me with my ID to prove I was over 18. And then we started shooting, and he reached out and put his hand on my face.”
Did that throw up any red flags?
“In the moment I didn├óΓé¼Γäót feel like he was crossing a line. I mean at this point I still had my clothes on. I thought it was a little odd, but I didn├óΓé¼Γäót think it was that crazy. I mean I was an open-minded 19-year-old, so I just thought, OK, whatever. I also had some trust in his aesthetic, so I thought he was just doing his thing. I felt like I should just go with his creative direction.”
At what point did he cross the line?
“Well, he put his thumb in my mouth, which I also thought was weird, but I just let it go. And then he backed off and asked me to start undressing. I went in knowing I was going to have to do that, so at this point I├óΓé¼Γäóm still totally comfortable. He was having me take stuff off in stages and taking photos all along the way. He and his assistant were both complimenting a lot, which was a little different from what I had experienced before. During the other shoots people would say nice things now and then, but looking back it was obviously Richardson├óΓé¼Γäós effort to make this little 19-year-old girl feel like she is this amazing, special person. So eventually all my clothes were off, and he├óΓé¼Γäós still taking pictures. Then he comes over and asks me to hold the top of his jeans while he takes pictures pointing down. At this moment, things were starting to go in a direction that wasn├óΓé¼Γäót good, but for some reason, I still had a lot of trust in whatever he told me to do, so I just did it. But then he had me unbutton his pants, and he took his penis out, and it was all completely downhill from there.”
Why didn’t you just leave?
“I felt like I was already in it to the point that I couldn├óΓé¼Γäót get out, which sounds kind of crazy, but I had the mentality of 19-year-old. Even just talking about it makes me start to feel the way I felt then, which was just completely paralyzed and freaked out.”
And then things got worse…
“Right. Well his penis is out, and he starts taking pictures of me holding it. And then we moved over to a couch, and he had me pose on it with my back to him, and I literally felt him come over and start licking my ass. In my head I was like, Oh my God, what├óΓé¼Γäós happening? He was just licking away, and his assistant came over and started taking pictures with this little point-and-shoot camera. After that he got on the couch with me, and it was just a bunch of back and forth between him directing me to do things to him and him doing stuff to me. At one point he even told me to squeeze his balls as hard as I possibly could, and I was like, Oh my God. But I still did it! Why did I do it?!”
What was his demeanor like throughout the shoot?
“I don├óΓé¼Γäót know how to describe his personality. He wasn├óΓé¼Γäót super personal or trying to get to know me or anything. He was just very upbeat and kind of goofy.”
Besides squeezing his balls, what other things did he ask you to do to him?
“He told me to perform oral sex on him. He started aggressively kissing me. I don├óΓé¼Γäót even really remember what specific things were happening at that point, but he was directing everything. Like, ├óΓé¼┼ôOK squeeze my balls,├óΓé¼┬¥ ├óΓé¼┼ôOK, put my dick in your mouth,├óΓé¼┬¥ ├óΓé¼┼ôOK, now kiss me.├óΓé¼┬¥ It wasn├óΓé¼Γäót intimate. He also straddled me and started jerking off on my face.
He told me to keep my eyes open super wide. His assistant was standing right there too, and his cum got in my eyes. This was actually his favorite moment. He got so excited. He kept telling me to keep my eyes open, and he grabbed his camera, and his assistant had her little point-and-shoot, and they were just taking all these pictures of it. Then they finally backed off and one of them got me a towel and told me to wipe myself off.”
What was going through your head at this point?
“I was just sitting on the couch, and I was very quiet. I was in shock and utter disbelief.”
What were they doing?
“I think they could tell that I was in shock. It seemed like they had done this a million times. Terry Richardson was standing across from the couch, and he asked, ├óΓé¼┼ôSo do you have a boyfriend?├óΓé¼┬¥ This was the first personal question he asked me. I told him yes because I did have a boyfriend at the time, and he was like, ├óΓé¼┼ôOh wow, I├óΓé¼Γäóm so sorry! I always mean to ask that first.├óΓé¼┬¥ He was smiling while he was saying this, too, and he looked over to his assistant and said, ├óΓé¼┼ôOh damn, I always mean to ask that first.├óΓé¼┬¥ And then she was like, ├óΓé¼┼ôOh, we should have asked that!├óΓé¼┬¥ It was a complete slap in the face. That├óΓé¼Γäós the only way I can describe how that felt.”
Did you just get up and leave at that point?
“I just wanted to get out of there. I don├óΓé¼Γäót really remember much after the shoot, but his assistant wanted to leave with me. We went down and got a cab, and she said she had to go somewhere in the same direction I was going and that she would pay for it. When we got in, she started trying to comfort me. She kept telling me that I was a really strong girl, and that I├óΓé¼Γäóm really cool, and that it├óΓé¼Γäós so good that I can handle that sort of thing. Looking back it was obviously her attempt to make me feel like what I did was a good thing and what happened wasn├óΓé¼Γäót bad. I was just sitting there quietly letting her talk to me, and then she got out about halfway on my way to Brooklyn.”
How did the experience affect you?
“That night I went home and told my roommate about it. I was completely shaken by it, but I was definitely taking responsibility for what happened. I blamed myself. I kept thinking, Uh, why did I get myself into that situation? And I also had a stomach infection that had been going on for a few days, so I felt pretty sick and kind of weak. Later that night I started dry heaving, and then I really started falling apart. I started freaking out and called my mom and my older sister. At the time I just thought it was just because I had been sick, but looking back, I realized that I was having a full-blown panic attack. I was sitting on the bathroom floor feeling like I was losing control of my body. My arms went numb, and I felt like I couldn├óΓé¼Γäót breathe. So then my roommate called an ambulance, and I ended up in the emergency room, and my mom drove down from upstate to take me back home.”
Did you ever hear from Richardson after that?
“A week or two afterward I got missed call and voicemail, and it was from the assistant. She said something like ├óΓé¼┼ôHey, I hope you├óΓé¼Γäóre well. Terry really wants you to grow out your pubic hair, and we wanted to know if you can come on a trip with us up to this cabin. Three other girls your age will be there, and it will be a fun. We├óΓé¼Γäóll take lots of pictures.├óΓé¼┬¥ I did not call back. And after that voicemail, I just tried to block everything out.”
Did this experience with Richardson have a long-term impact on you?
“Well, I stopped nude modeling and left New York. And then I ended up moving out to L.A. It├óΓé¼Γäós actually crazy to realize, at this point, how much that experience affected the path that my life took from then forward. In some ways it was good. I am happy where I am now. But then I felt guilty. I felt like an idiot. I chalked it up to all of the stupid choices I had made, and I decided to leave that part of my life in the past.”
Did you ever tell your boyfriend about what happened?
“I told him the next day when I was back home in upstate New York. I was really upset because I was feeling kind of guilty. I had never cheated on him. It was weird because it was like I was telling him that I kind of cheated on him, but it wasn├óΓé¼Γäót my doing. I told him pretty much everything. All the details. His response was, ├óΓé¼┼ôI want to find that guy and kill him.├óΓé¼┬¥ Fortunately, we didn├óΓé¼Γäót break up or anything.”
Did you ever tell your parents?
“I did. I called my mom a couple of days ago when I decided that I wanted to come out with the story publicly. I had told her that Richardson was really creepy, but I never confessed all the details, so this time I just divulged everything. She was disgusted like any mother would be. She called me the next day, and said, ├óΓé¼┼ôI want to throw acid in his eyes so he can├óΓé¼Γäót take pictures anymore!├óΓé¼┬¥ And I was like, ├óΓé¼┼ôWell, he├óΓé¼Γäód still have his penis, so I├óΓé¼Γäóm sure he├óΓé¼Γäód get plenty of action out of that.├óΓé¼┬¥”
Did you ever think about reporting the incident or pressing charges?
“No, but when I did start talking about this in the past two weeks, my current boyfriend├óΓé¼Γäós mother told me that she thought I should report it. I was always very hesitant about that because I know nothing can really be done. I never resisted. I never said no. But she convinced me that it would be good for me, for my own sense of empowerment, just to get it out there. So two days ago I did. I called the NYPD, and they connected me with a detective, and I prefaced everything by saying that I was just calling because I wanted the information to be out there so that more people will come forward, and that I don├óΓé¼Γäót want to press charges or anything. Then I told him the story, and all he said was that is wasn├óΓé¼Γäót a crime situation because I never said no. So Richardson├óΓé¼Γäós off the hook. It kind of sucks.”
What were you initially hoping to get out of doing a shoot with him? Did he pay you?
“I did not get paid, which makes me feel even more disgusted. I feel dumb and embarrassed about that, but my thought at the time was that he was such a well-known photographer and his photos have been in magazines and he├óΓé¼Γäós shot famous people, so he├óΓé¼Γäós got to be good, and that will only be good for me to say that I had been photographed by someone like him. And I liked his style. I liked provocative art going into it, but there├óΓé¼Γäós such a fine line. I mean, I like John Waters movies, and those are raunchy and provocative, but you never hear stories about him raping his actors.”
What ever happened to the photos?
“I├óΓé¼Γäóve never seen them. And I don├óΓé¼Γäót think he├óΓé¼Γäós used them in anything. I├óΓé¼Γäóve had a little bit of anxiety that they would come out because my boyfriend would definitely be upset, but I├óΓé¼Γäóm at a point now where I would just own it. I would tell people exactly what happened.”
Does it make you angry when you see his work in magazines? He just shot that Lea Michelle cover for V and Kate Moss for the French magazine Lui.
“It is frustrating to see that he gets away with what he does, and is still working and getting paid a ton of money. But if you haven├óΓé¼Γäót experienced him first hand and all the negative things about him are just rumors from unknown, random people, then why wouldn├óΓé¼Γäót you work with him? So I don├óΓé¼Γäót put any blame on the celebrities that have been photographed by him because they have no way of knowing the truth. The one thing that does boggle my mind, though, is his shoot with Obama. I mean, he├óΓé¼Γäós the president. I was a young na├â┬»ve girl, so I think it├óΓé¼Γäós pretty understandable that I didn├óΓé¼Γäót do my research and know what I was getting into, but you├óΓé¼Γäód think the president would have some sort of team that would tell him that Richardson is a photographer with a very bad reputation, and that it wouldn├óΓé¼Γäót be a good idea. That really confuses me. But until people expose what├óΓé¼Γäós he├óΓé¼Γäós really like, how are his clients going to know?”
If Charlotte’s story is accurate and describes what may have happened to countless other models, it makes sense that she felt the need to go public and expose Terry as much as possible.
Perhaps her bravery will inspire more models to come out and fully unmask the sexual predator this man may be.
Sources have reached out to Terry regarding Charlotte’s harrowing account, but the famed photographer has yet to respond.
[Image courtesy of Charlotte Waters via Vocative & WENN.]
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