The Woman Who Was Body-Shamed By A Playboy Model Speaks Out

Last summer, Playboy model Dani Mathers came under fire for secretly filming a woman in the shower and body-shaming her on Snapchat, writing, "if I can't unsee this then neither can you."

Since then, the woman shamed in the photo has largely remained silent, but has now spoken out via a lawyer, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The woman, who understandably wishes to remain anonymous, spoke through her lawyer, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, who said that she was "humiliated," and that all she wanted out of the case was $60 to buy a new backpack because she feared that her old one, shown in the Snapchat, would give away her identity.

"Why does that matter? Because the impact of this incident is irreparable," Feuer told LA Times. "And it causes harm that will reverberate on and on. Body shaming is inhumane. And it tears down the victim’s self-respect. It has devastating consequences. It stigmatizes victims."

Mathers was banned from L.A. Fitness shortly after the event, and was sentenced to community service for the case.

“That was absolutely wrong and not what I meant to do," she said in a video apology. "I know that body-shaming is wrong. That is not the type of person I am.”

However, her apology seems empty to Feuer.

"Ms. Mathers says that she didn’t intend to widely disseminate the photo," he told the LA Times. "That ignores the fact that she invaded another woman’s privacy by taking a nude photo of her in a gym."

Feuer also told LA Times that the victim has not heard from Mathers, in the form of an apology or otherwise.

"I saw Ms. Mathers on 'Good Morning America.' She claims that she’s tried to contact the victim, I presume to apologize," he said, adding, "I will share with you, that surprises the victim, who told me she is unaware of any attempt by Ms. Mathers to reach out to her."

This case only serves to show just how humiliating and damaging body-shaming can be — not to mention the possible health repercussions. A study from earlier this year found that body-shaming can actually be linked to risk of other diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. Sure, we've come a long way when it comes to bringing body-positivity into the mainstream. But there's more work to be done, and it starts with how we treat other people and their bodies.

It's your body. It's your summer. Enjoy them both. Check out more #TakeBackTheBeach here.