Latest news with #CosmopolitanUK
Cosmopolitan
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Police reveal plan to keep women safe this summer, amid a rise in violence at concerts
After witnessing a small but significant enough rise in violence against women and girls during Taylor Swift's Eras tour last summer, the Metropolitan Police is upping its presence and tactics at large music venues and nearby transport hubs over the coming months. Last night, there was an increased number of police at Dua Lipa's Wembley Stadium performance. The force say this decision is just one part of their wider strategy to help end violence against women and girls, in line with the government's pledge to halve incidents by 2034. 'Why concerts? Well, in large part, because of what we saw last summer with Taylor Swift coming to London,' said Ben Russell, Deputy Assistant Commissioner leading on the scheme, when speaking to Cosmopolitan UK. 'We police festivals and events in London every day, but we're talking about over 3 million people coming to stadiums. It's a big undertaking and presents different challenges from a policing perspective.' Police have pledged an additional 5,000 officer shifts to help boost awareness of their presence on the ground and to keep watch for suspect behaviour; some officers will be in plain clothes. The increased patrols began on 5 June at Beyoncé's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium performance – during which a man was caught upskirting (taking non-consensual photos up a woman's skirt). He is currently on bail while enquiries continue. 'We're there to engage and talk to people, but there's also a harder edge to what we're doing,' explains Russell. 'We're looking at the crowd and trying to spot people we think shouldn't be there and who don't fit in.' He adds that while the amount of crime recorded at concerts is relatively low and that people shouldn't be put off from attending, the Met still hopes to be a deterrent, especially given many victims of sexual assault choose not to report incidents. 'Some of these people [offenders] will stay at home and decide not to come out because we're stopping people, making arrests, and sending [them] on their way.' Known sex offenders and those wanted by the police will also be detected by live facial recognition cameras, and instructed by the force to move on from the area. Elsewhere, the Deputy Assistant Commissioner is keen to stress that stadium security staff and stewards are well-versed in their roles and the majority are on board with the mission of ending harms against women. However, 'one of the security staff at a venue was filming women in the crowd and they were kicked out. I'm sure the employer will take action there, that's not something that is acceptable,' he says. 'I think [him being kicked out though] shows the commitment of event organisers in taking action.' The Met is well aware that many have lost faith in the police following the damning Casey report two years ago, which found the force to be institutionally racist and misogynistic. Few women will ever forget the likes of serving officer Wayne Couzens, found guilty of raping and murdering Sarah Everard, nor David Carrick, a serial rapist who was allowed to continue serving despite numerous complaints being made against him. 'We know that people in the public feel we have let them down. This is about wanting more women and girls to engage with us, to feel positive, to feel supported,' Russell acknowledges. 'We are there to protect the public [but] we know we've got more work to do. Officers wake up every day trying to make a difference and rebuild the trust.' As well as concerts, the Met has a broader strategy to tackle violence against women and girls in London, known as the V100 project, which uses data to track and target the most harmful offenders (the list of whom changes monthly). A Rapid Video Response pilot has also been introduced, wherein if you report an assault to the Met Police they're quickly able to capture video as evidence. 'We're already seeing some of the results; we've more than doubled the charge rate for rape since 2022.' Cosmopolitan UK has requested the exact figures for this. When responding to news that the Met is pouring more resource into patrolling concerts, Andrea Simon, Director of End Violence Against Women (EVAW), said while an increased police presence might help some people to feel safer, in order to actually tackle male violence and abuse 'we need to look beyond the criminal justice system; we cannot police our way out of violence against women'. Simon adds that 'many women don't want to report to the police when they have been subjected to harassment or abuse'. According to Rape Crisis, only one in six women who are raped file a report – compared to one in five male victims – while just one in four women report other types of sexual assault. Concurrently, the BBC writes that one rape in London is reported every hour. 'Preventing women and girls from being harassed, assaulted or abused requires an approach that goes across the whole of society – from education in schools to equipping health care workers to identify abuse and signpost to support, to provision of housing for women and children fleeing abuse, and more,' Simon details. 'Ending violence against women is everyone's business and we need to see greater investment in prevention campaigns that raise awareness of how to safely intervene as a bystander, as well as sustainable funding for the life-saving specialist support services women rely on. Services which are chronically underfunded and often on the brink of closure.' It's a sentiment that Gina Martin agrees with; she is a gender equality activist and author who led the charge in making upskirting a crime after experiencing it firsthand at a festival. 'More policing isn't a solution. The data shows us policing overwhelmingly doesn't bring justice to victims and logically, the police role comes after harassment or violence has already taken place.' From Martin's standpoint, preventative measures that incentivise bystander action and investment in safe spaces run by sexual violence and harassment professionals would be a more effective approach. 'We need the Government to consult with specialists on prevention rather than just increase policing, as if that will solve anything." This isn't the first time people have questioned how likely police-endorsed schemes are to work, especially when it comes to them being enforced long term. Ask for Angela is the name of an initiative set up by Hayley Crawford, District Commander for Bassetlaw (Nottinghamshire Police), in 2016. Crawford is the patron of Ask for Angela, a non-profit organisation, and decided to create the scheme while working as the Sexual Violence (Prevention) Lead for Lincolnshire County Council. Last year Cosmopolitan UK reported that 'Ask for Angela', which is advertised in music venues and other entertainment sites, like bars and clubs, was ineffective in many areas (despite well-intentioned proprietors). It was found that some venues displayed 'Ask for Angela' posters, encouraging guests to use the code word 'Angela' with staff if they felt in an unsafe situation (such as a date) in order to receive help and support, but many workers had not been trained in the scheme – and some were unaware of it entirely. Clearly, there's a long way to go before all venues – be they sold out stadiums or the local pub – are fully equipped and committed to ending violence against women and girls; police schemes like this cannot be viewed as the cure. It's only with true, widespread educational work, that takes the public along with the cause, and by properly funding the organisations working directly with women and girls who've experienced violence, that real positive change can occur. Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC's Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women's Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
Cosmopolitan
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
What it's like dating as a sex worker
'I love reading people's responses to the book,' says Eve Smith (a pseudonym). 'A few love it, some hate it, some hate me, and a few people like me. But it's doing what I intended: humanising sex workers.' Eve has worked as a sex worker for the last 20 years — she's escorted, worked in brothels, strip clubs, and online, and is now working as a dominatrix. A year ago, she published How Was It For You?, a candid, funny, and sometimes harrowing memoir about the ups and downs of a job that remains criminalised in the UK — a fact that makes Eve's, and other sex worker's, lives infinitely harder and more dangerous. 'My hope when I wrote it was that if we are seen as human, it will make it more difficult for some of the media to dismiss us as 'prostitutes',' she continues. 'That it will make it harder for a man to kill us, thinking we're disposable and that nobody cares. We all have families and friends; people that love us. And that, whatever our reason for entering the sex industry, we deserve rights. We deserve the right to a bank account [criminalisation and stigmatisation makes it hard for sex workers to access financial services]; to work together for safety; and to not get a criminal record and be trapped in a profession we may have only wanted to be in temporarily.' As well as offering a much-needed call to action for sex workers' rights, Eve's memoir is also punctuated with anecdotes from her work — the good, the bad, and the ugly. There's stories of wealthy clients, clients with idiosyncratic requests, and, sadly, some that are scary. There's tales of camaraderie with coworkers, revelations about Eve's life and interests outside of the job, and her run-ins with an unjust law system that sees her dragged in and out of courtrooms. Among the good is tales of her relationship with her now-husband Adam (also a pseudonym), who she met at work; a client turned lover. Eve ruminates on the prejudices and misconceptions people have about sex workers' romantic lives, insisting her relationship thrives away from the mainstream noise. 'Dating is a minefield whether you are a sex worker or not,' she tells Cosmopolitan UK. 'I always found online dating really depressing. The men were so pushy and aggressive. Honestly, I think I'd still be single if I hadn't met Adam in a brothel.' What was it like going from client to partner? 'It was quite seamless for me,' Eve continues. 'I met Adam when I was offering sex and he became a regular. Then he disappeared for a year and I missed him. When he got back in touch, I was domming and not offering sex — but I did want to fuck him. So I asked him out on a date and we went from there. It took him a while to trust me and, honestly, I'm not sure if he ever will entirely. But that's okay. I don't trust him completely, either! We do love each other though, and 10 years and a family later isn't a bad run.' To mark its publication in paperback, read on for two excerpts from Eve Smith's How Was It For You? about how her relationship with Adam began, and how they navigated the stigma people put on them. People are often surprised that a sex worker has a partner, as though we are in equal parts unlovable and soulless. Even some of my friends have been quick to make comments about why I, a sex worker, couldn't possibly find love. If a man ever bailed on a date, for example, the question was always, 'Does he know what you do?' It's a comment intended to make me feel dirty and ashamed. I would say nothing at the time, but later I would think about it and feel waves of anger. If even my so-called friends thought that no man could love me, then that showed me exactly what they really thought of me. Yes, they might find my stories of sex work amusing and my company entertaining, but deep down they thought I was worthless. Those are friendships I have had to rethink. But the cruellest comments are always on social media. 'Must be a pimp' is a response I have seen thrown many times at sex workers who dare to admit they have a partner. People find it hard to get their heads around how we are able to see other men for work while maintaining a personal relationship. A good, strong, and loving personal relationship. I don't think it's a difficult concept, and it comes down to this: our personal relationships are not transactional. Seeing clients is a job. I aim to keep the professional and the personal as separate as possible. I try not to talk to my clients about my partner because it's important to have a part of myself that is separate. But I have slipped up occasionally and said something about Adam that lets the cat out of the bag. One jealous client then asked what my partner and I do in the bedroom. I told him, as nicely as possible, that it was none of his business. Some clients will always want more than we are prepared to give. More of our time, our bodies, our souls, our truth. Those are not the clients we choose to spend our lives with. The ones who become our partners are the ones we can be ourselves with. No boundary pushing. No games. No bullshit. And that's what drew me to Adam; the simple honesty of what we have. Less truthfully, however, I will tell people that Adam and I met in the pub. I don't like lying — it can sometimes bring on a bout of uncontrollable twitching — but occasionally it is necessary to protect myself or somebody else. Once you tell the truth that you work in the sex industry, you can't take it back, and people almost always think less of you when they know. I usually don't give a damn what strangers think of me, but when people I care about have a diminished opinion of me, that hurts. I'll always protect Adam. When I settled down with Adam, I stopped shagging clients. I was mostly domming by then anyway, but I had a few remaining clients from my escort days and I realised very quickly I couldn't do both. If I'm honest, I enjoyed the shagging part too much. If I didn't like the sex, then perhaps I could have carried on doing it. But that isn't healthy, is it? I could see that. I remember an ex struggling to comprehend my whoring. I went out with him for years in my mid-20s, between two stints of sex work. He asked me if I'd ever had an orgasm with a client. I said I had, and the second it was out of my mouth I realised that it was not the answer he wanted to hear, but it couldn't be taken back. At the time I didn't understand why he would prefer me not to feel pleasure. Why would someone I loved, and who supposedly loved me, want me to be a victim? But people like to put others in boxes. Especially sex workers. We are either Jezebels and corrupters of men, or we are victims. Anything more nuanced is too complicated for people to understand. Adam gets it and he gets me. He knows me. Meeting me at work comes with a huge advantage, as he doesn't have to imagine anything. He knows what I was like when I was extracting cash from him, dressed in stockings, and telling him that he would have much more fun if he stayed for two hours. And he has also experienced me premenstrual, in joggers, bitching at him to empty the cat litter. When I first saw Adam, he was standing near the brothel door wearing a long coat. He was wide eyed and looked nervous, like he was ready to bolt. I looked at him, not to gauge how good looking he was. I looked at him to see if he had the potential to contribute towards my rent that week. 'In or out? In or out?' Max [the pseudonymous brothel boss] roared at him, almost scaring him off completely. So I quickly took over and passed him a beer. And just like that the verdict was 'in'. We went to a room and talked. I had a strong sense that he was a good guy. I have no recollection of what else happened that night, of the details. What I remember is his manner and the fact that he was really, really funny. I was pleased when he came back to see me the next week. And the one after. Soon we arrived at the point where he would wait while I was with another client and then we would go off together. I became fond of him. I really enjoyed shagging him and talking to him, and he was beginning to enter my thoughts when I wasn't working. That hadn't happened before. I took his number just in case the place got raided again. Besides, I was so close to leaving the brothel and working independently and I could see that he was someone who was going to stick around; that there was a place for him in my future. I was saving all the time and, having had my first taste of domming, I was looking for a perfect place to install a dungeon. I had it all mapped out. One night I walked up the stairs from the bathroom to the communal space and there he was again. He was more drunk than normal and, when he saw me, he got on his knees in front of the amused Romanian working girls and told me he wanted to marry me. I laughed it off and said: 'Absolutely – I can't wait.' Then, as ever, we went downstairs to a room. Seven years later, Adam proposed for real. Perhaps it was easier for Adam because by the time we were officially together, I was just domming and no longer shagging. But, still, it takes a strong man to see his partner getting dressed up for someone else. I adore him and he adores me, and I like the fact we met in a brothel. It's far more interesting than if we had met on fucking Tinder. How Was It For You?: The Lives and Loves of a Sex Worker by Eve Smith is published in paperback (£10.99) by Picador
Cosmopolitan
12 hours ago
- General
- Cosmopolitan
Grenfell Tower now: finally, after eight years the government has announced new plans for the site
Eight years after a tragic fire broke out claiming the lives of 72 people, Grenfell Tower still stands in North Kensington, the fire-damaged building is as a stark reminder of the 72 people who were killed in the blaze eight years ago. Now, a new Netflix documentary has gone into granular detail about the fire, with Grenfell: Uncovered looking into the factors that led to the fateful event on 14 June. It took 60 hours for the fire to be fully extinguished. While the main building itself is made of concrete, the building's exterior was clad in aluminium composite material (ACM) with polyethylene (PE) at its core. PE is highly flammable, which led to the quick spread of the fire. The building is now badly damaged, with a 2020 report saying some of the disrepair to the upper levels of the tower had been exacerbated by the weather conditions. In 2018, in the run-up to the first anniversary, the top few floors of the tower had a sign added; a large green heart, which has come to be representative of Grenfell, as well as the statement: Grenfell: Forever in Our Hearts However, the government has since announced new plans for the tower block – which have not necessarily been warmly received by survivors or by those who lost loved ones in the fire. Cosmopolitan UK speaks to Jackie and Bernie Bernard, who lost their brother Ray to the Grenfell fire, as well as Grenfell: Uncovered documentary maker Olaide Sadiq, about future plans for Grenfell. In February this year, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner confirmed plans to demolish Grenfell Tower. In a statement, the government said they had consulted independent expert advice, with engineers advising 'it is not practicable to retain many of the floors of the building in place as part of a memorial that must last in perpetuity'. Because of this, the Deputy Prime Minister has concluded ' that it would not be fair to keep some floors of the building that are significant to some families, whilst not being able to do so for others'. It will now take two years for the tower to be deconstructed, with the government saying this will be done in a 'careful and sensitive way'. However, this has not been welcomed by everyone in the community. Speaking to Cosmopolitan UK, Bernie explained: 'Personally, I think it's an insult. 'I think everybody understands the tower has to come down, but it doesn't have to come down to ground level. 'I'm saying is at least keep the main reception intact so that we have a place where we can go to grieve the people that were cremated in that building. The plans aren't something the bereaved have welcomed.' Olaide Sadiq, who attended the most recent Grenfell memorial earlier this month, agreed the mood was sombre amongst those who are part of the community. 'I think there was a there was a large shock within the community when they decided that's what they were doing with the tower,' she tells Cosmopolitan UK. 'While making the documentary, a lot of our contributors told us they go to the tower regularly. It's a second grave site for them for when they want to pay their respects to people they've lost. 'There's an understanding that perhaps the building can't remain 24 storeys high, but when the tower is brought down to ground level, it's gone – and if it's out of sight, it's out of mind.' A report by the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission said construction of a permanent memorial to those affected by the Grenfell fire could begin as early as 2026. The commission, which is comprised of of representatives of the bereaved, survivors, local residents as well as two independent co-chairs, was created in order to ensure the community was at the heart of decisions on the long-term future of the site. Plans are thought to include a garden, monument and space for grieving. The commission said: "Everyone agrees that if Grenfell Tower comes down, it should be dismantled with care and respect, and in a way that honours our loved ones who were taken from us." Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
Cosmopolitan
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
'A victim of greed': Bereaved sisters pay tribute to ‘hero' brother who died in the Grenfell Tower fire
On 14 June 2017, a fire broke out in a kitchen at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, London. It spread at an unprecedented rate, engulfing the 24-storey building and raging for 60 hours as the fire brigade battled to control it. As a result of the 'decades of failure' (uncovered in the seven-year-long inquiry that followed), 72 people heartbreakingly died in Grenfell Tower, with 70 others left injured. Now, a new Netflix documentary examines the factors which led to the fire at Grenfell, as well as paying its respects to those that passed away, speaking to families to hear their stories. One such story on Grenfell: Uncovered is that of Raymond 'Moses' Bernard, who died fighting to protect the other residents amidst the inferno. The 63-year-old grandfather was well-known to the Grenfell community, having lived in the tower block for 30 years. He was beloved around West London in general, his family say, having moved to the UK from the Caribbean in the 1960s, when he was just 16. 'He was known as a sound man,' Ray's sister Jackie recalls to Cosmopolitan UK. 'He went to all the clubs to play Soca music and reggae. He was well-known around Carnival.' 'Ray was a real gentle soul,' agrees younger sister Bernie. 'He was widely known for his generosity and for always putting other people first. 'He had a reputation for being a protector.' While Ray, who lived on the 24th floor of Grenfell, saw the tower block as its home, it didn't mean his flat was without its faults. Bernie, who visited Ray often and also considered Grenfell to be a home from home, said Ray's flat had a leak in its ceiling. However, when Ray (or Bernie, calling on Ray's behalf) complained to the Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, who supervised Grenfell at the time, Bernie explains he was treated 'like an irritation'. 'They were often extremely rude,' Bernie recalls, 'Or they'd tell you they'd get back to you, but more often than not, they didn't. They weren't there to help. In my opinion, they completely forgot their role.' It was particularly worrying, as Ray became less able-bodied as he got older, with his severe arthritis meaning he sometimes walked with a stick. On the night of the fire itself, Bernie wasn't immediately concerned about Ray's safety. She had been called by a friend who lived nearby, who alerted her to the incident. 'It was a big concrete block,' she says. 'There had been fires in the past at Grenfell that had always been contained. So when I first got the call asking whether Ray was home, I wasn't concerned at all. In the UK, your home is meant to be a safe place. I didn't have any idea what was going to transpire. 'I knew something was wrong when my friend rang again and I heard the panic in her voice. When I turned on the TV, I couldn't believe what I was seeing – but I kept telling myself Ray was going to be okay.' However, as part of a refurbishment of the Grenfell Tower block in 2016, the exterior of the building had been clad in an aluminium composite material (ACM) with polyethylene (PE) at its core. PE is highly flammable, which led to the quick spread of the fire. Residents were also not told to evacuate Grenfell; at the time, high-rise buildings in the UK had a 'stay put' policy, as fires were thought to be able to be contained in individual flats. It was a survivor of the Grenfell fire that informed Bernie and Jackie of Ray's bravery on the night of the blaze. While people were standing in hallways, as smoke flooded into their flats, Ray helped those looking for shelter and allowed them into his home which was less impacted at that time. As the smoke started to infiltrate, he let the women and children take refuge in his bedroom, while he kept trying to keep people safe. 'She wanted us to know that Ray was doing everything he possibly could to stop the fire from entering his apartment,' Bernie says, biting back tears. It was thought Ray died by the inhalation of toxic smoke. His body, which was identified via dental records, was found at the foot of his bed, while others found there were huddled on the bed. 'We know that he was the kind of person who would have done everything he could to ease the suffering of the people in his apartment,' Jackie says. It was testament to Ray's character, Bernie adds, that the last conversation she ever had with her older brother was about their mother, who was sick at the time. 'He basically said that our mum was his queen, and we needed to do whatever we can to look after her,' she recalls. 'Our mum passed just a few months after Grenfell. We think she died of a broken heart, as Ray was the favourite son.' Despite the Grenfell Tower inquiry finding a catalogue of failure and errors from the UK government and building authorities, there have been no criminal charges made at the time of writing. While the inquiry's 1700-page report suggested a number of recommendations to be implemented, for Bernie, nowhere near enough has been done to honour those who died in the fire, or for those families left to mourn them. 'For me, nothing's really changed,' she says. 'How could this have happened in the UK? There's still buildings with that cladding on it, and no-one has taken responsibility. The inquiry just showed everyone passing the buck.' Earlier this year, the government announced plans to demolish Grenfell Tower – however, not everyone necessarily wants the building to be removed entirely as it acts as a second memorial site to those who died. 'I understand that the tower has to come down,' Bernie says. 'We need to have a place where we can go to grieve the people that were cremated in that building.' Now, with eight years having passed since Grenfell, both Bernie and Jackie want Ray to be remembered for the hero that he was – but also that his death was entirely avoidable. 'He was a beautiful person,' Jackie says. 'He was caring, loving and giving.' Bernie adds: 'We also want him to be remembered as being a victim of greed, corruption, and dishonesty.' In a statement to Cosmopolitan UK, the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation said: 'We are acutely conscious of the terrible impact that this tragedy has had on the bereaved, the survivors, their relatives, and the broader Grenfell Tower community. We accept that the TMO contributed to this and we are deeply sorry. 'We continue to offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to all those affected. 'We sincerely hope that the findings of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry will lead to safer homes for all those in social housing.' The KCTMO relinquished its role as a housing provider in February 2018 to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It now exists for the sole purpose of supporting the public inquiry and all other legal proceedings resulting from the Grenfell Tower tragedy. There are no staff currently in place who were employed at the time of the tragedy. Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
Cosmopolitan
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
'Love Island's Yasmin is the ultimate bombshell: Even if you disagree with her actions, she's nailing it'
When it comes to Love Island bombshells, there are a few Islanders that have landed in the villa with a bang, and delivered on exactly what they were meant to do. From Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu crawling onto the terrace (it lives rent-free in my head) to Maura Higgins telling off Tom, the arrival of bombshells who promise to bombshell has been few and far between. But thankfully it looks like season 12 could be about to bring us a new iconic bombshell, in the shape of Yasmin Pettet. Yasmin, 24, made her Love Island debut on Friday 13th June (kind of fitting, now that I think about it), and didn't hold back from the minute she arrived - calling "bulls**t" on Toni Laites saying she'd relocate to the UK for love. Later, when she met the girls for the first time, Yasmin she didn't backtrack - instead holding firm to what she'd said. Admittedly, it would've been silly to deny it, considering the girls had been watching the whole thing, but Yasmin didn't mince her words or rephrase anything to be agreeable. Instead, she said it with her chest. Despite coupling up with Shea Mannings, Yasmin has been getting to know whoever she wants - taking Harry Cooksley to the terrace for a chat, and even putting the moves on Dejon Noel-Williams, who she jokingly asked if he'd have a threesome with her and Toni. While some might not like her approach, when it comes to being a bombshell, Yasmin is bombshelling like there's no tomorrow. I've spoken to a lot of Islanders over the years, and the one piece of advice they always give when it comes to being a bombshell is to simply just "go for it" - 'it' being whatever or whoever you want. During an episode of Cosmopolitan UK's Fire Pit video series, when asked what advice she'd give to latecomers, Harriett Blackmore said: "I feel like you need to treat everyday like it's your last. Like if you actually fancy someone then just say it because you don't know how long you're going to be in there, you don't know how everything is going to go day-to-day. So, if you don't do that one thing then you could just literally be out the villa." Matilda Draper added: "You need to be bold." Yasmin couldn't be any bolder if she tried! From randomly talking about her sexual desires, to kissing Dejon and Harry during a recent game of dares - despite being coupled up with Shea (who, might I add, she didn't kiss once), this babe is doing things her own way. And she deserves a round of applause for that. Coming into a villa with already formed couples and friendships, it could be easy to just go for the safer options to "fit in", but Yasmin is showing that she came to play the game of Love Island, not so much Friendship Island. Harsh, but the game is the game, and it could be argued that the other girlies might want to take a leaf out of her book or at least talk to everyone, considering it's only week two. Nobody is locked off and the boys are exploring their options, so why shouldn't they? Despite Yasmin's previous comments about Toni, the duo seem to be getting along well. Which just shows, at the end of the day, she might be fiery or blunt, but she's just doing what a bombshell has to do: getting to know who she's interested in, even if that means stepping on toes. We can't fault her for that. Love Island airs on ITV2 on weekdays and Sundays.
