Beauty queen raises awareness of abuse
YOUNG MUM WHO SUFFERED AT HANDS OF EX WINS HONOUR AT PAGEANT
A YOUNG mum who entered a beauty pageant to speak out about domestic violence after escaping an abusive partner has bagged one of the top prizes.
Sophia Hardman received the ‘People’s Choice’ award at this year’s Miss Voluptuous UK contest.
The 27-year-old from Wigan received the most online votes from members of the public.
It was the first time the pageant had been held in this country, having started off as the Voluptuous Diva contest in the US.
Each contestant chose a cause to speak about. Sophia wanted to raise awareness around domestic violence having escaped an abusive partner.
Sophia said: “Domestic violence is something a lot of people experience, but it’s not really talked about.
“People don’t realise that it comes in all different forms - it’s not just physical, but emotional as well. Someone is controlling the relationship completely, and telling you what you can and can’t do.
“There are lots of different types of domestic violence, and it is a cause I feel very passionate about.”
Sophia, who has a two-and-a-half-yearold daughter Victoria, added: “It was a very difficult time, but she got me through really.”
She added: “Going down to the pageant itself I was excited because I knew I had got an award so there was not as much pressure on. It feels just amazing to have won.
“There were 23 women from all walks of life, and it was great learning about each other and each other’s experiences.”
Sophia, who plans to compete next year, has launched a new initiative called The Emoji Campaign.
The idea is that, if someone is in fear of their partner, they agree with a friend to message a certain emoji to indicate they need help
Sophia said: “I have been in a situation where I have got my phone right there next to me, but I’ve not been able to reach out. This would be a coded way of asking for help.”