Model Alliance + Lili Bernard Join Carré Otis Announce Child Victims Act Case Filed

NEW YORK, NY (08/13/2021) (readMedia)-- On Friday, the Model Alliance joined supermodel and survivor Carré Otis and artist and Bill Cosby survivor Lili Bernard to announce Carré filed her Child Victims Act case in New York, just before the lookback window closes that day.

Carré was 17 when she was scouted and then sent from New York to Paris to live with former President of Elite Europe, Gérald Marie. Marie raped and abused dozens of young women -- including underage girls -- who were in pursuit of a career in modeling, including Carré. Marie's behavior was known throughout Elite when Carré was sent to live with him.

Carré will join other survivors later this year to testify in Paris against Marie, where she is outside the statute of limitations. Carré was joined by other survivors of Marie in making her announcement today.

Carré's complaint is available here. The press conference is available to watch here.

"No predator acts alone: There are enablers and institutions created to insulate them from the consequences of their actions," Carré Otis said. "Three decades later when I finally feel ready to access the justice system, I'm shut out across the globe except for New York. That's why civil lookback windows are so crucial, and in New York we need the Adult Survivors Act and why the Child Victims Act is so crucial. My case has been filed just as the lookback window ends today, as has Virginia Giuffre's case against Prince Andrew. I'm filing this on behalf of all the other survivors who are shut out by artificially low statutes of limitations."

"Sexual abuse is pervasive in the modeling industry - so many of us have experienced sexual violence on the job. In an industry that routinely normalizes abuse and puts pressure on survivors to remain silent so as not to risk their careers, it often takes survivors years, even decades to come forward. Several of Carre's fellow survivors came forward either publicly or anonymously through our support line, MA Support, where we hear from individuals about these types of abuses in the industry on a daily basis. We are proud to support all of these inspiring women in their pursuit towards healing and justice," said Sara Ziff, founder and executive director of the Model Alliance.

"The arbitrary legal time constraints known as statute of limitations, by which sexual assault survivors are bound, are designed to protect predators. The result is that less than 2 percent of rapists ever see a day behind bars. I'm one of more than 64 known survivors of Bill Cosby's sexual violence and yet he roams free. Abolishing the statute of limitations on rape prosecution and opening windows of opportunities for civil litigation does not change the burden of proof. It allows victims of sexual assault to present their testimonies, evidence and witnesses in a court of law, when they are emotionally and physically ready to do so. I stand in solidarity with Carré Otis Sutton in her pursuit of justice, made possible by the New York Child Victims Act. New York and other states need to follow the footsteps of New Jersey and also pass the Adult Survivors Act so that all victims of sexual assault may pursue justice," said Lili Bernard.

"There are few cases in our nation's history that have tackled such widely accepted sexual abuse and trafficking of girls and young women as this one. Carre Sutton is a champion and survivor who stands for the countless other women and child models whose cases don't fit into the narrow parameters of the Child Survivor's Act. We look forward to exposing the predatory history of the modeling industry and holding accountable all of those who contributed to the abuse of some of its youngest and most vulnerable women and children," said John Clune, attorney.

"For too long rapists and their enablers have used statutes of limitations to escape justice. The window created by the New York's Child Victim's Act allows Carre and other survivors of childhood sexual abuse an opportunity to tell their story and demand accountability at long last. The state legislature must now pass a similar law for those abused as adults, so those survivors can pursue justice as well," said Debbie Greenberger, attorney.

"Human trafficking inflicts significant trauma and survivors are often left to wrangle with their own emotional and physical recovery, while advocating for themselves in a society that does not fully comprehend the depth of their experiences. By filing a complaint pursuant to the Child Victims Act to seek justice against her alleged traffickers, Ms. Otis is showing the world, once again, how resilient and empowered survivors truly are. All traffickers, regardless of their identity, wealth, privilege or position of power, must be held accountable for their crimes," said Anita Teekah, senior director, anti-trafficking program at Safe Horizon.

The CVA, which became law in 2019, created expanded pathways to justice for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The law both extended the criminal and civil statute of limitations forward and created a lookback window to allow time-barred survivors the opportunity to file retrospective civil lawsuits against their abusers and negligent institutions. Over 10,000 CVA cases have been filed in NYS. The lookback window expires today.

The New York State Legislature ended session before passing the Adult Survivors Act, or ASA, in June, which would have extended the same opportunity to time-barred survivors who were 18 years or older at the time of abuse. After Friday, time-barred survivors in New York will have no form of legal recourse.