Redskins cheerleaders felt team was ‘pimping us out’ in 2013 trip: report

A group of Redskins cheerleaders says the team crossed the line on a 2013 trip to Costa Rica by allowing a group of team sponsors — all men — to be present during topless photo shoots and requiring nine members of the squad to serve as escorts for the men later at a nightclub, according to the New York Times.

The women’s work did not involve sex, but a cheerleader told the newspaper the mandatory nightclub appearance felt like the team was “pimping us out.”

The members of the squad received no compensation “beyond transportation costs, meals and lodging.”

The women were there for a calendar photo shoot, only to find that a contingent of male sponsors and FedEx Field suite-holders had been invited along on the trip.

Some of the cheerleaders began to cry when told they had to accompany the men at a nightclub for an evening.

“It’s just not right to send cheerleaders out with strange men when some of the girls clearly don’t want to go,” a cheerleader told the New York Times. “But unfortunately, I feel like it won’t change until something terrible happens, like a girl is assaulted in some way, or raped. I think teams will start paying attention to this only when it’s too late.”

Two Redskins officials — senior vice president of operations Lon Rosenberg and president for business operations Dennis Greene — were at the nightclub, leading a cheerleader to remark that the team condoned the actions.

In a statement, the Redskins said the cheerleaders are “contractually protected to ensure a safe and constructive environment. The work our cheerleaders do in our community, visiting our troops abroad, and supporting our team on the field is something the Redskins organization and our fans take great pride in.”

Redskins cheerleaders director and choreographer Stephanie Jojokian, as well as two captains provided by the team, denied the women were put in danger.

“I was not forcing anyone to go at all,” Jojokian told the paper. “I’m the mama bear, and I really look out for everybody, not just the cheerleaders. It’s a big family. We respect each other and our craft. It’s such a supportive environment for these ladies.”

Some of the cheerleaders left the team after the 2013 season, citing the Costa Rica trip as leaving them feeling “worthless and unprotected.”