KINGSTON, Jamaica — Shaneke Williams, whose entry in this year’s Miss Jamaica World (MJW) beauty pageant has been met with strong criticism because she was earlier this year freed of rape charges, is pleading with Jamaicans to give her a chance.

“I think it’s unfair to label an accused person as a criminal when there is no criminal record or fact to support the claims that were made against me,” Williams told OBSERVER ONLINE this morning.

Williams said she understands why “concerned” Jamaicans would want to give their opinions.

However, she insisted that the case had several inaccuracies. She also accepted that her entry in the contest would draw mixed reactions from Jamaicans, “but I did not expect it to such an extent where people are writing articles about it”.

Williams, who insisted she was innocent, was freed of a charge of aiding and abetting rape and sexual touching in the case of a 15-year-old girl, which was alleged to have occurred in November 2013.

The case was dismissed after the complainant indicated that she did not wish to proceed with the matter.

Williams made the request for an interview after widespread uproar on social media when news surfaced that she was selected as a finalist in the beauty pageant which commenced in July with auditions and will end with the grand coronation on September 23 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

The winner of the contest represents Jamaica at the prestigious Miss World Beauty Pageant.

According to the Miss Jamaica World Criteria for entry which is posted on the website of the franchise holder, entrants’ background must not pose the likelihood of bringing the pageant, title of promoters into disrepute.

Given the criteria, the Observer asked about their stance on the matter.

“Before entering the competition, I knew what the situation was and I made it clear to them that I am at a state right now where I’m recovering mentally and emotionally from this ordeal and I would not want to enter knowing that it would implicate them or affect my chances of winning the crown,” she said.

“It was made known to me that it should not be an issue because there was no criminal record and I’m not convicted of any crime,” Williams added.

OBSERVER ONLINE tried without success to get a comment from the franchise holders.

Although Williams was exonerated, the allegations, she said, are still haunting her and are threatening to shatter her long-time dream of entering the pageant.

“MJW is not only a platform for me to tell my story but to enlighten and tell others who may have been in a similar situation that at the end of the day, no matter what obstacles you face, no matter if you’re bullied – whether cyber bullying or physical bullying – you can pull through. Don’t play the victim, stand up for yourself, believe in yourself and push forward,” Williams said.

“I believe after being bullied, after having my name and my image tarnished, that at the end of the day I need to know how to proceed. Was I going to sit back and be silent, or am I going to go out there and tell my side of the story so people could understand?”

 Williams insisted that she has been a victim of a lie and that she should not be punished for it.

“Knowing the details of the case, that were not made to the public, especially knowing who accused me, hurt me more than the accusation itself. Knowing that this is someone I was close to and that I considered family and the betrayal was just mind boggling,” she said.

“I can understand that the Jamaica populace may have a concern because rape is a serious offence and in my situation it is rare for a woman to be accused of rape, so it therefore attracts a lot of attention,” Williams said.

The 24-year-old, who is also pursuing a career in marketing, said the ordeal has impacted her life in ways that she could have never imagined.

“I had to take a year off from school because I felt paranoid that persons were watching and following me, and at one point I had to be walking with a bodyguard because I was so afraid,” she said.

She said she has experienced bullying before but has never experienced it to such an extent.

“When I was in primary school I was always bullied. They used to call me the skinny tall girl, buff teeth, nerdy girl with glasses, and it continued to high school, into college and needless to say in my adult life,” Williams revealed.

Breaking down in tears, Williams pleaded with her critics to put themselves in her shoes and asked what would they have done if they were accused of something they did not do.

“Would you sit back and do nothing and allow yourself to be a victim. Or allow it to be a source of motivation?” she asked.

“Put yourself in my situation; this could happen to anyone. Anyone can be accused of something. It could happen to you,” she said.

“I maintain my innocence and should be given a fair opportunity to vie  for the crown, because at the end of  the day an accusation does not make you guilty,” Williams argued.

She said that when she was eight years old she was a victim of the crime she was accused of committing.

“Being accused of rape has rehashed a lot of memories I’ve tried to push away because I have also been a victim of rape,”  Williams said.

However she said the experience also has its positives.

“Because of this I’ve developed double strength because of how hard I’ve been fought. After going through this struggle with strength, with God and support, I know that anything is possible.”  

“I want to be one of the few that stand up and say ‘listen, I am accused and this is my story, I claim my innocence and encourage others in similar situations that you can do the same’. Not because a lie was told on you means you’re to give up. You can push forward and achieve; your situation should not be a setback but a motivation,” Williams said.

She told OBSERVER ONLINE that she spent three days in lock up and four nights at Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre for Women. That experience, she said, taught her that not everyone who is accused of a crime is guilty or that they’re bad people.

“I remember while at St Augusta at first the persons’ perspective of me was one that everyone else had – that I was a snob and that I was a goody-two-shoes, but eventually they warmed up to me and I assisted persons with their assignments [and] they were combing my hair.”

“I know this may sound kind of unrealistic, but it was kind of like a family bond there. When I was leaving people were crying and saying they didn’t want me to leave,“ she said.

“One person come up to me and say that I want you to go out and let everyone know that not everyone who comes in here is a criminal and I made a promise to them that I would make a mark on society and I hope they’ll get out and that they’re watching,” said Williams.