In a candid new interview with NW magazine, Love Island contestant Justin Lacko is opening up about his dark experiences working as a model in New York City and having powerful men “force themselves” upon him.

The 6’3, 27-year-old says he was often put in “awkward scenarios with men”.

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“I live in the modeling industry and I’ve been in very awkward scenarios with men before,” Lacko reveals, adding that “it’s really freaked me out.”

He continues, “[I had] people trying to take advantage of me, and I guess trying to force themselves onto me.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh0OqxOgXO_/?hl=en&taken-by=justinlacko

Lacko first moved from Melbourne to New York to pursue a career in modeling when he was in his early 20s.

“When you’re young and overseas it’s, like, difficult,” he says. “You try and meet people to network, because ultimately you need to get yourself out there, but at the same time you can also be taken advantage of.”

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He adds: “There’s all this stuff that’s coming out [right now] with photographers and stylists–so many people who have had accusations against them for sexual abuse towards male models and it’s a very serious thing.”

Related: Barrett Pall talks about the dark underbelly of male modeling, says being gay makes it “much harder”

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