Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
A fairly new profession has hit the market, and it might sound like the ultimate dream job to a lot of people.
It's called being a 'yacht girl', but while this comes across as one of the easiest gigs going, it's actually got a lot of challenges for those in the business.
While partying with millionaires in lavish parties out at sea seems enticing on the surface, it turns out that yacht girls can often be subjected to sexual exploitation or even assault.
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You're essentially hired as eye candy on board these expensive vessels, but travelling to these exotic locations to meet powerful people can sometimes be 'demeaning', according to some yacht girls in a recent interview.
Apparently, there's a 'murky underbelly' that most aren't aware of, in another instance of offers seeming too good to be true, though not as severe as the infamous 'porta-potty' parties in Dubai.
Sarah Harris, a model from Birmingham, admitted to The Sun that she was 'sexually assaulted on a yacht by a drunken crypto-millionaire', adding that 'there was no escape'.
While she was excited about landing the job while living in Dubai back in 2021, she quickly found that it wasn't all it's cracked up to be.
'I was offered £1,200 for five hours' work'
"She and two other models I knew were going and the pay was £600 for five hours’ work. It was a party for a well-known DJ," she said of the offer, which came at a swimsuit shoot.
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“She told me excitedly, ‘All we have to do is chat to guests, dance, mingle and pose in our bikinis. We’re there to bring the glamour'."
Apparently, they were told not to drink too much or have sex with anyone, though they 'could flirt and have a snog' if they liked someone.
Sarah admitted that it was 'addictive' as she was making a lot of money, adding: "I had the time of my life... It’s a whole secret world that most people have no idea exists. I felt like a celebrity."
But things took a turn for the worst at a boat party in the South of France in 2022, after months of 'living the good life'.
“There were 12 girls and six men on board and I had been offered £1,200 for five hours’ work," the Brit said.
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'Two girls passed out and another had to go to hospital'
She noticed once getting on board that the other yacht girls were 'willing to do anything to keep the men happy' in a 'demeaning' set of events, which she said would put them 'in danger' as they looked like escorts.
The model recalled being felt up by a man while he was drunk and slurring his words.
"In tears, I managed to push him off with my friend’s help and we demanded the organisers take us back to shore on a speedboat," she recalled, remembering feeling 'naive' about everything.
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Sarah claimed: “I later heard two girls had passed out and another was so drunk she had to go to hospital.
"I vowed to stay away from the paid party scene after that. There is a mucky side to the un-policed yacht parties, especially in Europe," the Brit said, warning girls to 'stay away' from rich men who view them as 'disposable'.
'I didn't want to give men the wrong idea'
Another yacht girl, Pippa Taylor, remembered the saying 'what happens on the yacht, stays on the yacht'.
Like Sarah, she was offered the role at a photoshoot, though this was in Ibiza.
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"They said all I had to do was look pretty, sunbathe on the yacht and bring the glamour to the party," she claimed.
They assured that there were 'strict rules' on the yacht and that she wouldn't be an escort.
Together with her friend, they spent four hours on a yacht speaking to businessmen and they 'each got £300' for their time.
Within months, she'd made thousands, but highlighted: "I had a rule of only doing day parties and I never accepted overnight invitations, as I didn’t want to give men the wrong idea."
'I got out while the going was good'
"There were times I’d pinch myself sunbathing next to a well-known celebrity or chatting to a millionaire about his latest deal," the personal trainer explained, though it wasn't all good, as she heard the story of another girl getting assaulted on a night cruise, something which Pippa refused to do.
She continued to stick to day trips and only ever had two drinks while steering clear of any drugs.
Noting that 'competition was fierce', Pippa reflected: "Overall I had a great experience and made lots of money, but I was careful. I decided to get out while the going was good."
'They must respect the strict laws in the UAE'
Carmen Fearnley, a businesswoman, is currently living in Dubai running her own yacht company, and claims that people can pay anywhwere from £100 to £5,000 an hour for yacht rental, depending on the model.
Speaking about a yacht girls' pay, she said: "A hostess with the mostest can make £100 to £200 for four hours’ work.
“If a girl ends up dating someone they met on a yacht, then that is their personal business."
But there is a crucial rule that they all must follow: "I have heard of girls in Europe destroyed emotionally and mentally when they fail to follow the rules or think they know better than people like me, who know the industry inside out,
"It’s critical they respect the strict laws in the UAE, where I operate."
She noted that police patrol the harbour in Dubai, and that she knows of yacht girls who met nice men from parties who are now living the 'luxurious life', married with children.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
Joshua Nair