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ISPCC advert draws criticism
An advert from the ISPCC that shows a seven-year-old boy being physically abused has had almost 90,000 views since it was aired earlier this week and has attracted criticism from some.
There have been calls for the removal of the 40-second advert, which was unveiled on the charity’s website earlier this week as part of a fundraising campaign. Viewers complained the video could upset victims of violence and children who might see it and that it portrayed men in a negative light.
It features a small boy who is reciting the charity’s manifesto direct to camera. While he is speaking he is struck a number of times by an adult male. His voice reflects his growing anxiety and pain, and his face becomes bloodier as he talks. It concludes with the boy saying he can’t wait to grow up.
ISPCC finance director Lloyd Byrne said all the ad was doing was representing what children were telling the charity.
“I don’t think we should make this about the abuser or anything else. This is about the child and what happens to him,” he said.
He said anyone who has suffered violence and is disturbed by the footage should seek support.
Mr Byrne also said the boy involved in the filming was an actor accompanied by his parents.
Fiona Gartland
The Irish Times
Thursday, May 12, 2011Here is the particular ad for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children..
WARNING – THIS MAY BE VERY UPSETTING TO SOME
I Can’t Wait until I Grow UpWhere do you stand on this?
Any thoughts on this type of advertising?Its harsh and tough to watch but should be allowed on air after a certain time as that IS reality.
Will it stop the abusers – probably not but will it make someone pickup the phone and report instead of turning a blind eye – hopefully.
Media has become more “real” and in cases like the drink-driving ads or speeding i agree with them, shock people into acting sensibly but also feel especially in Ireland its gone way to politically correct and the “lets sue” bargade is alive and well unfortunately.I work with children, some who suffer because of their parents…………I don’t need to see videos like this………..I watched the video and it made me feel sick.
No way would I watch it… I would be awake nights thinking about it, just the fact its here available to view and people are watching it makes me feel uneasy.
I dont think shock tactics work anyway… there is lots of research to suggest it doesn’t… I have no idea why organisations ignore the evidence that this sort of material is a waste of resources.
I’m torn by this kind of explicit advertising.
I understand the need of charities and public information bodies to raise awareness and to get us talking about the issue, and yes, the explicit “reality” ads do that. However I can’t help think there must be better ways to do it than shoving a hard dose of reality down peoples throats in this way, and I think back to previous campaigns by other charities and public bodies that used other more subtle devices to make us sit up and think, e.g. the Aids awareness ads of the 80s brought the message home without having to show dying people. It leaves me feeling manipulated, my emotions played with and none to subtly, just to raise money for another large charity that will spend a large proportion of funds on administration, and that leaves a nasty taste.
It sickens me when i of hear of a child (or any case of neglect/abuse) that is in need of help and it has be reported but due to lack of resourcing or understaffing the child gets left behind and ends up worse and in some cases dead so big point would have to be if the authorities did there jobs properly and were able to intervine and stop the abuse there would be no need for ads like these.
@tinks wrote:
I work with children, some who suffer because of their parents…………I don’t need to see videos like this………..I watched the video and it made me feel sick.
I agree with tinks on this one … although i don’t work with children , i am aware of what some of them go through at the hands of their parents – you only have to read the news to know that. I watched it until the first blow … and had to turn off…. i too felt sick …. So no , I don’t think there is any need for this kind of advertising……. i am sure we all know it happens , and sadly, all to often .
Looks like emotional blackmail just occurred. :roll:
@gazlan wrote:
Looks like emotional blackmail just occurred. :roll:
So true gaz, but what does it hope to achieve? Im not sure what the aim of something like this is? decent people are appalled but we dont need to see it to be appalled.
Wow, thats hard hitting and indeed a shocker.. We had kinda similar in Scotland with a domestic abuse ad. We all know it goes on , but prefer to sweep in under the carpet in a ” not in MY yard”,mentality. no i say play it, maybe after 9pm…and without meaning to contradict you Mrs Teapot, those seen as “decent” folks on the outside facade, are usually the worst offenders. This goes on in all environments,always has. We all have childhood tales to tell of a friend with a strict parent. Every Era has a personal trauma, that gets hauled up all the time for child battering.
I digress.. no show this and maybe we would all ask questions about a childs wee pal that always has that certain bruise, and maybe,just maybe we would not feel like we were interfering at sudden bangs/screams in the night. I am glad never to have witnessed this first hand.But its always after an event, that neighbours admit they heard certain things.
Shocking ? oh Yes..
Fiction? oh no.
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