"They took $1,000 cash from me": Canada's Drage Race winner Venus Sherwood claims Mexican police abducted her and "choked and kicked" her for an hour

Venus Sherwood, who won Canada's Drag Race season 4, claims local police in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, kidnapped her during a recent journey, physically attacked her, and demanded money from her. Venus Sherwood, a Canadian drag performer, documented the alleged incident through Instagram stories, which were posted on April 20, 2025.

Venus explained that the confrontation started when she believed she had paid a taxi driver properly, but police claimed otherwise. The incident started when she withdrew money to give the driver as payment, but eventually ended up in a police altercation after the driver accused her of not paying. After police brought her to an isolated area, she stated that officers attacked her and stole her personal items.

"They choked and kicked me for an hour and then took $1,000 cash from me and my headphones," Venus wrote. "Then I had to pay them hundreds more dollars to get released. I can't even call the police because they're the ones who did this!"

Social media posts made by Venus displayed pictures of the injuries she received on her elbow, as well as marks on her chest and torso. According to her second post, she was transported to a deserted dark road before the attack, where she started bleeding.

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Venus Sherwood, the winner of Canada's Drag Race

The incident allegedly took place while Venus Sherwood was in Puerto Vallarta, a popular coastal destination for tourists and LGBTQ+ travelers. The performer did not specify the exact time of the assault, but it is presumed to have occurred earlier in the day on April 20 or late the night before.

Venus Sherwood later thanked the staff at the Almar Resort and members of the local LGBTQ+ community for their support in the aftermath.

"I am safe now. I've had amazing help from the community here," she shared.

She added that she was still gathering the details of what happened and recovering from the incident.

Originally from British Columbia, Venus Sherwood rose to prominence after winning Canada's Drag Race season 4 in 2023. She made history as the show's first Indigenous winner.

Throughout the season, she stood out for her performances, winning the very first maxi challenge and never landing in the bottom two. Her win was widely celebrated across the drag and queer communities.

The reported assault highlights ongoing concerns about LGBTQ+ tourist safety because police corruption, together with anti-LGBTQ+ prejudices, still exist. While Puerto Vallarta maintains its status as an LGBTQ+ friendly tourist spot, there have been multiple regular reports of harassment.

The Mexican authorities, alongside Canadian consular officials, have not released public statements about Venus Sherwood's claims as of the writing of this report. Entertainment Weekly contacted local officials and police during their same-day news coverage but failed to receive any statements.

This is not the first time a drag performer has reported an attack abroad. In 2023, RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne said she was assaulted outside a McDonald’s in Liverpool. That same year, Drag Race Holland winner Envy Peru was violently attacked in Amsterdam.

More recently, Drag Race season 14 alum Jasmine Kennedie shared in March 2025 that she was followed and harassed by a stranger on her way home from work in New York City.

The reported assault on Venus highlights ongoing issues around the protection of queer individuals globally, even in areas marketed as LGBTQ+ friendly. For now, Venus is focusing on recovering and staying safe. "I just want to go home," she wrote in a final story post.

No further updates have been shared by Venus as of now.