Belgium Probes Miss Model Pageant Over Indecent Acts
The Limburg public prosecutor’s office has launched a criminal investigation into the Miss Model pageant organization following a formal complaint about indecent acts in Tessenderlo-Ham, VRT NWS reported. The investigation targets pageant organizer Nisa Van Baelen and her partner Dylan, following allegations made by Charlotte Haesendonckx, the 22-year-old Miss Model 2025 winner from Temse.
“We confirm that a criminal investigation has been started,” said Marijke Teunis, spokesperson for the Limburg prosecutor’s office. “We also confirm that it concerns indecent acts, but for now we cannot provide further details.”
The Complaint
Haesendonckx filed a formal complaint with police after alleging she was sexually assaulted by Van Baelen and her partner on two separate occasions. According to HLN, she gave a nine-hour statement to police, lasting until 6 AM.
In an explosive interview with P-magazine, Haesendonckx detailed her allegations, claiming that during a group trip to France in August 2025, Van Baelen and Dylan pressured her to drink alcohol and then sexually assaulted her while she was intoxicated. She described a second alleged incident at a birthday party for Van Baelen’s son earlier this year.
“I was very drunk. Everything was spinning, I had ringing in my ears and blackouts in my memory,” Haesendonckx told P-magazine. “I don’t remember how I ended up in the room, but suddenly I realized I was lying on their bed.”
“I don’t want more victims to be made,” she added.
Van Baelen’s Response
Van Baelen has admitted to having sexual relations with Haesendonckx but maintains they were fully consensual. In a follow-up P-magazine report, she acknowledged the threesome took place but denied any coercion.
“It’s true that we indeed had sex with Charlotte, but it always happened with mutual consent,” Van Baelen said. “It happened multiple times, but never a drop of alcohol was involved.”
She also stated: “Was it ethically wise of us to have intimate contact with one of our pageant contestants? No, of course not. But we were all adults and there was indeed consent.”
Van Baelen is considering filing a counter-complaint for defamation and slander. Police have seized digital devices as part of the ongoing investigation.
Broader Allegations
The investigation comes amid wider scrutiny of the Miss Model organization. At least six former contestants have spoken out about alleged abuses, including financial exploitation, body shaming, and inappropriate behavior by Dylan.
Merel Vander Elst, a 2023 contestant, told VRT NWS she faced enormous financial pressure and was fined €6,000 after leaving the competition for medical reasons. “Three years ago I entered this pageant full of enthusiasm,” she said. “I quickly noticed that the reality was different from my dreams. There was enormous financial pressure on the candidates. There was a lot of body shaming and a lot of pressure placed on us.”
Vander Elst won a lawsuit against the organization but says she has yet to receive the money owed to her. At least three former contestants have won civil lawsuits against Miss Model, with one case still ongoing.
Other former contestants have alleged inappropriate touching and suggestive messages from Dylan during pageant events, according to HLN’s reporting.
A Troubled Industry
The Miss Model controversy unfolds against a backdrop of broader scrutiny of Belgian beauty pageants. Van Baelen, who was crowned Miss Fashion 2018, Miss Limburg 2020, and Miss Exclusive 2021, founded Miss Model in 2023 as what she positioned as a fairer alternative to Miss België, promising “my contest will be fair.” Her own pageant history is documented on Chez Bartizze, which covered her journey as a Miss België finalist.
The pageant, which operates through the company A Models Place BV, required contestants to raise €5,000-€6,000 in sponsorship money and promised winners €10,000 in prize money paid in monthly installments, according to the Miss Model website.
Former Miss België contestants, including Kenza Ameloot and Celine Van Ouytsel, had previously spoken out about abuses in the Miss België organization, and in 2026 the Nieuwsblad reported that the Miss België contract was “in conflict with human rights.” Van Baelen had positioned herself as a reformer who would “repair what Miss België has broken,” making the allegations against her particularly striking.
What’s Next
The investigation is at the preliminary stage, meaning prosecutors are gathering evidence to determine whether there is a case to answer. The seized digital devices could provide crucial evidence about communications between the parties involved.
Van Baelen has indicated she may file a counter-complaint for defamation, which could further complicate the legal proceedings. Meanwhile, former contestants continue to await payment of civil judgments against the organization.
The case highlights the power imbalance between pageant organizers and young, often vulnerable contestants, and raises questions about the regulation of beauty pageants in Belgium. As the investigation progresses, observers will be watching whether other former contestants come forward with additional complaints and whether the Miss Model pageant can survive the mounting legal and reputational challenges.