“Dead girls don’t say no”: CharGrilled's pro-rape-necrophilia-murder-of-women tee

UK t-shirt co endorses violence against women

CharGrilled is a UK-based company specialising in 'funny, retro and offensive t-shirts'. Judging by the 'Dead girls don't say no' tee it's currently flogging, CharGrilled thinks violence against women is hilarious.

The slogan appears to have originated in a 1987 death metal song, itself a lyrical tribute to sexual degradation and violence committed against women. 

We asked supporters to contact CharGrilled and let them know what they thought of its endorsement of violence against women. Many did.

One supporter emailed CharGrilled with a harrowing story of a family member who survived sexual assault and abuse, and a request to pull the tee from sale:

Hi, I saw the rape shirt you posted on your website. Dead girls don’t say no. One of my family members was raped. And later on she was almost killed in her own home by the same person, and was only stopped by a neighbour.

Raping then killing women isn’t a joke. She has lost her job from having a breakdown and has attempted suicide from all she went through. I can’t imagine her having to see this shirt on someone she walks past on the street, just adding to her trauma.

Please take down your shirts promoting the abuse, rape, and murder of women! 

We then found out CharGrilled is looking for new slogans to print on its t-shirts. We asked supporters to send their ideas to the company - ones that send CharGrilled the message that violence against women is not a joke, and that peddling messages which endorse the sexual violation of murdered women is reprehensible.

Click here to submit your slogan to CharGrilled

We sent CharGrilled a few of our own ideas:

It turns out CharGrilled has a long history of trading off rape-as-jokes slogans. In 2011 mumsnet users slammed CharGrilled for a tee bearing the slogan 'No + Rohypnol = Yes' (Rohypnol is otherwise known as the 'date rape drug'.)

CharGrilled 'press coverage' included features in porn-themed mags including Aus Zoo Weekly (Image source: chargrilled.co.uk)

And in 2013, there was this:

.@chargrilledtees your pro-rape apparel is offensive; I can't believe @amazonuk stocks it #NotBuyingIt #endrape2013 pic.twitter.com/Tae0T8SUv3

— Destroy The Joint (@JointDestroyer) March 2, 2013

How did founder-and-then-CEO Charlie Shiner respond to women who objected to his corporatised, for-profit, pro-rape misogyny? 

With more misogyny:

(You can read more about CharGrilled's past rape endorsements here.)

Now, CharGrilled has a different boss. We think we've tracked him down (hey there Adam👋🏽). We're waiting for him to remove CharGrilled's tee endorsing violence against women. And to never flog this type of merch again.

Take action!