Delmaine Donson
A Black woman has come forward and shared that she was sexually assaulted by a masseuse in Istanbul. In an Instagram video, author, content creator and model Leah Vernon claimed that after she was sexually assaulted during her visit, she was threatened and lied to about actions being taken. Vernon added that she has tried to bring awareness to her story and outlets have not supported her. In her post she wrote:
I’ve finally worked up the nerve, the courage to name the man that assaulted me.
In August, a masseuse, Cuneyt Tunc s*xually assaulted me during a massage at the Catma Mescit Hamam Spa @catmamescithamami located in the Nova Plaza Pera Hotel @novaplazahotel in Istanbul.
The male managers threatened me, told me that I would be held in the country if I made a report. They kept trying to convince me to not go to the police. For over an hour after the assault, they wouldn’t notify the authorities. They lied and said they fired Cuneyt but they actually had not. He’d been on the premises the whole time. During this time he could’ve attacked me.
The hotel, the spa, nor the staff have issued an apology, nor have they reached out to me since the incident. I also believe that he still works there. It also pains me to see how many popular blogs they have been featured on.
Secondly, I’ve reached out to over 20 media outlets and none of them cared to feature a story about a fat, Black Muslim women whose been assaulted. They don’t care about my story… if I was 👩🻠woman then they’d be all over it.
Leah Vernon Is Asking For The Public’s Help
Since her efforts have been unsuccessful, Leah Vernon needs our help to get justice for her sexual assault.
“What he took from me is inexcusable because my life turned inside out. I need your help to get justice,” she said in the video. “I’ve had to come out of pocket well over $3,000 to hire an international lawyer. The hotel nor the spa has contacted me with an apology, a follow up nothing. And I also believe that he still works there. And because I’m a fat, Black Muslim none of the media outlets have picked up the story.”
In her post, she asked that people leave reviews on Google, Instagram, Yelp and YouTube and say her alleged abuser’s name. Besides sharing her post, Vernon asked that people also call the spa and encourage the termination of the accused along with the managers who threatened her after she reported her alleged assault.
See her full post below.
