Miss USA and Miss Teen USA’s moms say they were ‘abused, bullied, and cornered’

The mothers of the former Miss USA and Miss Teen USA have spoken out on behalf of their daughters.

In an interview that aired Tuesday on “Good Morning America,” Jackeline Voigt, mother of Noelia Voigt, and Barbara Srivastava, mother of UmaSofia Srivastava, discussed their daughters’ unexpected decisions to step down as Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, respectively. Confidentiality clauses are preventing their daughters from speaking directly.

“The job of their dreams turned out to be a nightmare,” Srivastava said, adding, “They were ill-treated, abused, bullied, and cornered.”

Noelia Voigt announced she was relinquishing her crown on May 6, citing the need to prioritize her mental health. Days later, UmaSofia Srivastava also resigned, stating that her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”

Fans noticed that the first letters of each sentence in Voigt’s social media statement revealed the phrase “I AM SILENCED.” NBC News later obtained her resignation letter, in which she reportedly alleged a “toxic work environment within the Miss USA organization that, at best, is poor management and, at worst, is bullying and harassment.” She also alleged she was sexually harassed at a Christmas event and that the organization failed to take the incident seriously, according to NBC News.

On “Good Morning America,” Jackeline Voigt said her daughter was “so stressed out” after a man at the event made her “very uncomfortable” by asking if she was “interested in older men with money.” She added that the Miss USA Organization neither supported her daughter after the incident nor expressed any sympathy.

When asked if the “I AM SILENCED” message was intentional, Jackeline Voigt declined to confirm but added that her daughter “is” currently silenced “and will be for the rest of her life if this NDA” is not lifted. “The girls need to speak,” she said.

Both Jackeline Voigt and Barbara Srivastava called for Miss USA CEO and President Laylah Rose to resign, warning others to “really pay attention” to what happened to their daughters and avoid the pageants.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Miss USA Organization for comment. Rose previously stated to USA TODAY, “Our all-encompassing goal at Miss USA is to celebrate and empower women. Our participants make a real difference in this country and around the globe.”

On Sunday, Stephanie Skinner, the runner-up in the Miss Teen USA competition, announced she is declining an invitation to replace Srivastava. “While I am not fully aware of what Noelia and Uma experienced that led to their resignations, I am sending them immense love and support,” she said.

The CW Network announced this week that it is “evaluating its relationship with” the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants “in light of last week’s events.”