Why Did Public Turn Against Chloe Ayling? Kidnapped Model Cites Sexism, Class Bias

In 2017, Chloe Ayling, a glamour model from South London, was invited to a fake photoshoot in Milan, believing it to be a routine job. Shortly after arriving in Milan, she was kidnapped, drugged, and told she would be sold as a sex slave on the black market. Despite the traumatic ordeal, her kidnapper drove her back to Milan six days later and left her at the UK consulate.

Even though Ayling was drugged with ketamine and threatened with horrific outcomes, including being fed to tigers, her nightmare didn’t end upon returning home. The then 20-year-old faced a media frenzy that subjected her to immense scrutiny and public ridicule. Media outlets and the public, influenced by the assertions of her attacker’s lawyer, were captivated by the notion that the incident was a PR stunt designed to elevate her career.

Now, seven years later, a new six-part BBC drama titled “Kidnapped” will explore her kidnapping and the ensuing aftermath, highlighting how elements of misogyny and classism exacerbated her suffering. Ahead of the series airing, Ayling has expressed her thoughts on the internet’s unfounded conspiracy theories in the wake of such tragedies.

Ayling believes her status as a glamorous model contributed significantly to the skepticism surrounding her story. She also pointed to the case of working-class teenager Jay Slater, who disappeared in Tenerife, to underline a similar issue. Speaking to The Times, she remarked, “He wasn’t a model and he still got all that. Unless there’s concrete evidence like CCTV, victims are not believed.” She added, “The only way you can prove people wrong is to be found dead. Until then, people have free rein to say what they like.”

Ayling’s ordeal began in July 2017, when she was lured from her South London home to Milan for what she believed was a modeling job. Upon arrival, she was injected with ketamine, stripped to her bodysuit, and transported to a remote farmhouse in a bag. Her kidnappers, Polish brothers Lukasz and Michal Herba, falsely claimed she had been abducted by a Romanian criminal gang called the Black Death.

The kidnappers informed her that she would be auctioned as a sex slave on the dark web if she could not raise a $300,000 ransom. They also threatened to feed her to tigers once her buyer grew tired of her. Astonishingly, Ayling managed to convince one of the brothers, who seemed infatuated with her, that she might one day be his girlfriend—a cunning deception that likely saved her life.

While Ayling might have thought that surviving the ordeal would mark the end of her terror, she found herself embroiled in a new nightmare. During the kidnappers’ trial, their lawyer suggested that the kidnapping was a stunt orchestrated for publicity by Ayling. This false claim quickly became the dominant narrative.

Ayling’s body language and media interviews were intensely scrutinized, portraying her more as a suspect than a victim. She expressed to The Times, “I feel like there was no acknowledgment of what I went through. I was never praised for my bravery getting out of that situation. Instead, I always have to defend myself.”

The situation worsened as online observers dissected her statements, attire, and even her smiles upon her return. A CCTV footage showing her holding hands with one of her captors further cast doubts on her story. Media personalities, such as Piers Morgan on “Good Morning Britain,” criticized her for conducting media interviews and writing a book before the trial. Morgan asserted, “If you’re going to conduct media interviews where you’re being paid money, and you’re doing a book for thousands of pounds before there’s even been a trial, I think we’re perfectly entitled to ask you difficult questions.”

Despite public skepticism, Ayling remained resolute. Lukasz Herba was sentenced to 16 years and nine months, while Michal Herba, who received the same sentence, has since been released following an appeal. Even with the concrete evidence and the prison sentences given to her kidnappers, doubts about Ayling’s story persisted, magnified by her subsequent public appearances, including her participation in Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.

Ayling hopes that the new BBC drama will finally present the truth and dispel lingering doubts about her experience. She expressed to The Times, “Seeing it gave me chills because it’s such a relief. People will see all the evidence against [the Herbas] laid out word for word, without bias.” She further stated, “At the time everything was so focused on me and no one was interested in how the brothers were changing their story every second to completely contradictory ones.”

All episodes of “Kidnapped” will be available on BBC iPlayer from 6 am on August 14, with episodes airing on BBC3 from 9 pm on Wednesday.

Source: The Times