Grassroots campaigning movement Collective Shout: for a world free of sexploitation has released its annual ‘Crossed Off’ list.

First launched 15 years ago, the blacklist is a curated line-up of company offenders who have objectified women and sexualised girls to sell products and services through the year.
 
This list serves as a guide for consumers who wish to spend their Christmas shopping dollar ethically. 

Every year in the lead up to Christmas we release our Crossed Off list – an annual blacklist of business offenders who objectify women and sexualise girls in their advertising, products and services – and call on our supporters to boycott these unethical companies.

This is our 15th Crossed off blacklist to help guide you in your shopping choices.

This year’s list includes a number of repeat offenders as well as new additions we thought you should know about.

The lineup includes Melbourne-based t.shirt company Teepublic (owned by Articore) for trading in violence against women, global e.commerce giant Shein for sexualising children in products and advertising, and repeat offender - with 80 advertising ethics code violations to its name, Honey Birdette.

Once again we’re asking supporters to send these companies a message that we don’t tolerate business practices which cause real harm to women and girls. If they don’t understand Corporate Social Responsibility, perhaps losing money might help them see its importance.

Looking for ethical alternatives? Check out our CSR Pledge Partners – companies which refuse to profit from objectifying portrayals of women and girls. Please reward them for doing the right thing!

*Update* Etsy refuses to remove incest-themed merchandise (read more below)

Etsy continues to host degrading, fetish and incest-themed content despite updated policy

It was 2020 when we first exposed global online marketplace Etsy selling child sex abuse dolls – and for hosting sellers customising dolls in the likeness of actual children. Our investigation was featured in news.com.au. 

Early the following year, we exposed incest and abuse-themed products being sold on the platform. In response, fashion designer Anna Cordell shut her Etsy shop (alongside a number of sellers) and, backed by us, started a change.org petition calling on the platform to remove this merchandise.

Three years and almost 70,000 signatures later, we applauded Etsy for their new policy banning sex dolls, pornography and incest-themed content. The site even blocked search terms “sex doll” and “porn”. 

Global online marketplace Etsy has announced a new policy banning pornography, sex dolls and incest-themed content.

While the new Prohibited Items Policy comes into effect from 29 July, Etsy has already blocked search terms relating to porn, sex dolls and other fetish items.

Don't give these companies your XMAS dollar this year!

While we are all happy that Etsy has - at last - disallowed searches for child sex abuse dolls, we are not done yet!

With Collective Shout’s ongoing support, I’m going to continue to campaign to pressure Etsy to remove all child abuse themed products including sexy schoolgirl outfits which I’ve just come across. 

Sexual harassment is a daily experience for many girls. Large numbers of girls - many underage - say they are subjected to harassment when wearing school uniforms.

Products such as the sexy schoolgirl outfits sold on Etsy’s platform sexualise school girls and embolden men to harass real girls on their way to school. This is a crime and needs to stop.

We won’t stop until all these products are gone! Please share the petition with friends and family. Let’s send the message to Etsy heads that we aren’t going away. 

Update from petition starter Anna Cordell

E-commerce giant Etsy appears to have blocked search terms related to child sex abuse dolls. 

It’s that time of year again! Every year in the lead up to Christmas we release our Crossed Off list – an annual blacklist of corporate offenders who objectify women and sexualise girls for profit.

These companies - some we’ve been exposing for years - continue to flog their sexist and harmful products and services and refuse to change their unethical behaviour. That’s why we’re asking our supporters to once again vote with your wallets and send the message: sexploitation doesn’t sell.

Boycotting the companies below will also demonstrate you care about Corporate Social Responsibility and choose to spend your Christmas dollars ethically. And see below for companies you can spend your money with in good conscience!

Exposing corporates profiting from child exploitation

September 4-10 is National Child Protection Week. The theme is 'Every child, in every community, needs a fair go'.

Read on to learn more about what we're doing to combat sexual abuse and exploitation of children, and to give children a 'fair go'.