Former Victoria’s Secret Model Bridget Malcom recalls moment she spoke out against Perth teacher

An ex-Victoria’s Secret Model recalls the moment she decided to speak out against her music teacher who sent her inappropriate messages in high school.

Bridget Malcolm was subjected to ‘grooming behavior’ by Aurelio ‘Bobby’ Gallo during her studies and after graduating from Methodist Ladies’ College in Perth in 2008.

In August, the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia suspended Mr Gallo’s teaching license for 3.5 years for “serious misconduct” including sending emails asking Malcolm for topless photos, a dinner date and Skype requests.

Ms Malcolm’s identity remained anonymous before expressing herself in an emotional Instagram post last Saturday.

She explained that she felt a “responsibility to be completely transparent” about her traumatic experience and was inspired by sexual assault survivor Grace Tame.

Bridget Malcolm was subjected to ‘grooming behavior’ by Aurelio ‘Bobby’ Gallo (pictured) while she was a student and after graduating from Methodist Ladies’ College in Perth in 2008

“She has been such a powerful voice for touching cultural perceptions of issues like this,” she said The Western Australian.

Ms. Malcolm had completed an internship for the United Nations and helped set up an event for International Women’s Day in 2021.

She recalled seeing Mrs. Tame give a speech and felt a sense of empowerment after years of sleepless nights and teacher nightmares.

“And then I struggled with feelings of self-blame, guilt, and shame,” she said.

Ms. Malcolm said at the time that she looked up to Mr Gallo and saw him as a mentor who gave her extra attention to help with her studies.

“I loved that I was getting all this extra training and that my skills were getting better and better,” she said.

She said she was able to recover after talking to therapists, close friends and caregivers about the traumatic experience.

She explained that she felt a “responsibility to be completely transparent” about her traumatic experience and was inspired by sexual assault survivor Grace Tame

Gallo continued to email Ms Malcolm after she graduated, requesting to see her when she returned to Perth after moving abroad

The Western Australia Teacher Registration Board first received an email about inappropriate behavior from Mr Gallo in March last year and the complaint was subsequently investigated.

In a document published by the board describing the decision to suspend Mr Gallo’s license, it found that the music teacher had engaged in “caring behavior.”

The board discovered that the couple had initially emailed about school matters, but the conversation changed tone over time.

Mr. Gallo sent an e-mail from his personal account on July 14, 2007, asking for the student number.

He continued to email Ms Malcolm after she graduated, asking to see her when she returned to Perth after moving abroad.

Ms. Malcolm later became a model, working for Victoria’s Secret as well as Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney in 2015 and 2016.

Aurelio ‘Bobby’ Gallo was teaching at the prestigious all-girls Methodist Ladies’ College in Perth when he engaged in ‘grooming behavior’ with Australian model Bridget Malcolm (pictured)

Her former teacher asked for photos, complaining that he had not received “topless” photos in an email sent on February 2, 2009.

Mr. Gallo sent another email a day later, referring to a special charm he had given her as a graduation gift.

“Remember when the going gets tough, hold on to the special charm I gave you and think of all the special things that bring you happiness – I know it will give you strength,” he wrote.

In the wake of the headlines about the case, Mr Gallo was also resigned as head of the performing arts at John Paul College in Logan, Queensland, where he now works.