Below Deck’s Margot Sisson releases statement after co-star Luke Jones is fired for sexual misconduct in horrifying scenes

Down Under star Margot Sisson has released a statement after shocking scenes aired that showed without her consent.

Jones was subsequently fired from his role on the boat as bosun, with producers and fellow stars of the show stepping in to safeguard Sisson.

Sisson had been put to bed by after she had too much to drink, with Jones climbing into bed with her without any clothes on after she was left alone in a horrifying moment.

After checking on Sisson, Scott confirmed that she had been asleep and ‘didn’t even know’ what was happening.

The chief stew later said tearfully: ‘I just feel like a lot of women have had history with things happening and it stresses me out if I ever see anyone being taken advantage of.’

In a lengthy statement shared on her Instagram Story, Sisson expressed her deep gratitude and love for Scott and the way that she ‘recognized the vulnerability of the situation I was in’, stating: ‘Her courageous intervention on my behalf was both heroic and so admirable.’

‘I thank the universe for her every day, as well as the producers who quickly stepped in. Aesha, you have a heart of gold, I look up to you, and I will forever be grateful. Everybody needs an Aesha in their lives,’ she wrote.

Sisson then shared her thanks for Captain Jason Chambers ‘for his immediate response to the situation, leaving no room for BS’, after he informed the rest of the team that Jones had been sacked.

‘There are unfortunately a lot of captains who would choose to sweep something like this under the rug, I am grateful that Jason is not one of them. Thank you for repeatedly making me feel safe and supported. I wish every captain were just like you. Sending you so much love right now,’ she said, adding a heart emoji.

Sisson continued: ‘I also need to shout out my love and appreciation to @ChefTzarina (Tzarina Mace-Ralph) for helping me out when I felt so low and vulnerable, it is true, “Women should be able to [be] black out drunk if they want to. We should be able to stand in a room n**ed.n**ed and not have anyone do anything to us.”

‘It was truly eye-opening for me, and I’m sure it hit home for countless women who have also felt shame and somehow to blame for their own experiences. Thank you for holding me, supporting me, and feeding me flapjacks and chicken soup with so much love. I am lucky to have you in my life and you have become such a role model to me. I love you so much.’

Sisson also gave a grateful shout-out to Harry Van Vliet ‘for continuing to be perfect’, saying: ‘I love watching all of our interactions, you make me smile every single day and you are an incredible person in every way possible. You deserve the world,’ alongside a heart emoji.

Lastly, Sisson thanked Adam Lukasiewicz, explaining that Below Deck had yet to air ‘a single interaction between us but he was such an important part of my life on the boat’.

‘After L*ke got fired, Adam immediately came up to me and said if he had known what was happening, he would have done anything and everything to protect me,’ she shared.

‘He said I was like a sister to him and it was so sweet and I truly adore him so much. It is so disappointing that his soft side is not being shown nearly enough on the show and you are not seeing the Adam that we all know and love.

‘I was completely oblivious to what was going on between him and Laura, and I wish I could go back and be there for him more. Neither of us deserved this. I love you Adam!’

Sisson then turned to viewers, thanking them for ‘all the beautiful messages’ that they have sent her.

‘Each message is truly brightening my day and warming my heart. I promise you that I will read every single one of them, and I value each person who has taken the time to reach out. I am so grateful to be home with friends and family now and have so much love and support around me, but your messages mean the world to me too,’ she wrote.

Sisson said that her heart breaks for women who have been in severe situations, writing: ‘Please know that you are not alone, and the blame does not belong on your shoulders.

‘I understand that this episode was deeply triggering and incredibly difficult for many to watch. However, I believe it was vital to show because this issue is all too real and far too frequent. Perpetrators often escape accountability, and this is not ok. I was lucky to have Aesha and the producers intervene, but I’m all too aware that many women have not and will not be so fortunate and it makes me feel sick to my stomach.’

Sisson stressed that ‘if you’ve ever experienced something like this, you should not face ridicule, shame, or have your experience minimized’.

‘Had I woken up to a boat full of people who had the same feelings as Laura, I would have continued to think it was my fault, that I deserved it, and what happened was okay. There would have been no consequences, no accountability, and the same thing or worse could have happened again and again to someone else,’she said.

‘It breaks my heart to know that this has happened to so many of you reading this. Your emotions are valid, nobody is allowed to blame you, and you can’t blame yourself. Your body is your body, your space is your space, your bed is your bed, and nobody is allowed to enter that bubble without consent.’

Concluding her statement, Sisson said: ‘Lastly, I think it is so important for me to mention that I’ve done A LOT of work on myself since filming, and my relationship with alcohol is pretty much non-existent now. When I see the show now, it’s like I’m watching someone else, a complete stranger. Hang in there with me for the rest of the season, and just know that I’ve grown so much since then and I’m so proud of who I am today.’

‘If you’re dealing with issues related to sexual assault or alcohol, please remember that you are never alone, help is out there and there is someone who will listen.’

In a follow-up message, Sisson gave a ‘giant’ shoutout to her therapist, saying: ‘I feel like I owe you my life!! I’m not sure where I would be without you, but I love who I am because of you.’

Following the incident, Jones was permitted to return to the boat for a brief amount of time to collect his possessions while the other crewmates remained in the salon, as he told the Captain: ‘I’m sorry, and I’m just so disappointed in myself.’

Van Vliet shared a message of support for Sisson on Instagram, writing in his caption: ‘Dearest Margot, what you went through should never have happened. I am so sorry that you had to go through something like that.

‘I know that since it happened you have been recovering and getting on and living your awesome life which is so great to see considering the situation. Keep pushing through and striving in life, good things are coming your way I know it! Love you always, Harry ??.’

Below Deck Down Under streams on Peacock in the US on Mondays, and on hayu in the UK on the same day.