![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Emily-Ratajkowski-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nEmily Ratajkowski has accused photographer Jonathan Leder of sexually assaulting her during a photo shoot at his Catskills home in 2012 \u2014 claims he strongly denies.<\/p>\n
In a\u00a0lengthy essay for NY mag\u00a0published Tuesday, the 29-year-old model and actress wrote that her then-agent had her travel to Leder\u2019s upstate home for an unpaid photo shoot for a magazine called Darius that required an overnight stay.<\/p>\n
Then an unknown 20-year-old model, Ratajkowski writes that upon arriving at Leder\u2019s home, she was surprised to discover she would be modeling lingerie. In an attempt to appear mature, she accepted the red wine he offered her throughout the evening.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d been taught that it was important to earn a reputation as hardworking and easygoing,\u201d she wrote. \u201c\u2018You never know who they\u2019ll be shooting with next!\u2019 my agent would remind me.\u201d<\/p>\n
After being photographed in lingerie, Ratajkowski claims, Leder said, \u201cLet\u2019s try naked now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe second I dropped my clothes, a part of me disassociated,\u201d she wrote. \u201cI began to float outside of myself, watching as I climbed back onto the bed. I arched my back and pursed my lips, fixating on the idea of how I might look through his camera lens. Its flash was so bright and I\u2019d had so much wine that giant black spots were expanding and floating in front of my eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later, when the makeup artist who was present for the shoot went to bed, Ratajkowski said, she felt wide awake but \u201cvery, very drunk.\u201d She writes that she and Leder were huddled under a blanket on the couch when he started asking her about her boyfriends and watched as she rubbed her feet together to keep them warm.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me he liked \u2018that foot thing you\u2019re doing,\u2019 and I remember this moment more clearly than anything else,\u201d she wrote. \u201cI hate that Jonathan commented on something I\u2019ve done throughout my life to comfort myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of what came next was a blur except for the feeling. I don\u2019t remember kissing, but I do remember his fingers suddenly being inside of me,\u201d she claims. \u201cHarder and harder and pushing and pushing like no one had touched me before or has touched me since. I could feel the shape of myself and my ridges, and it really, really hurt. I brought my hand instinctively to his wrist and pulled his fingers out of me with force. I didn\u2019t say a word. He stood up abruptly and scurried silently into the darkness up the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ratajkowski writes that she went to bed and caught a train home the next morning.<\/p>\n
Years later, the photos Leder took\u00a0were published in a book, although Ratajkowski claims Leder and Imperial Publishing had no right to use the images. At the time, a lawyer sent cease-and-desist letters to the book\u2019s publisher, Imperial Publishing, and an art gallery planning to hold an exhibition of the photos.<\/p>\n
A rep for Imperial Publishing, which represents Leder, emphatically denied Ratajkowski\u2019s claims to Page Six on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are all deeply disturbed to read Ms. Ratajkowski\u2019s latest (false) statements to NY Mag in her never-ending search for press and publicity,\u201d the rep said. \u201cOf course Mr. Leder totally denies her outrageous allegations of being \u2018assaulted.\u2019 It is grotesque and sad that she is so vindictive to lie in such a way to the press routinely.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ratajkowski steadfastly maintains that she didn\u2019t even sign a release for the photos and neither did her agent. Leder claims there was a release contract signed. Ratajkowski claims that, in the end, her attorney advised her against pursuing a lawsuit because it would be \u201cfruitless\u201d and outrageously expensive.<\/p>\n
Leder\u2019s rep, however, says, \u201cShe knows she has no legal recourse to stop publication, so bad mouthing the photographer (again) with salacious accusations seems to be her newfound answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a shame, because the photos are really powerful and they are beloved by so many of her fans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Emily Ratajkowski has accused photographer Jonathan Leder of sexually assaulting her during a photo shoot at his Catskills home in 2012 \u2014 claims he strongly denies. In a\u00a0lengthy essay for NY mag\u00a0published Tuesday, the 29-year-old model and actress wrote that her then-agent had her travel to Leder\u2019s upstate home for an unpaid photo shoot for …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66197,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[611],"tags":[972],"yoast_head":"\n