Following calls for BP service stations to stop profiting from sexist magazines, sexualising teen girls and encouraging sexual harassment, the service station chain has announced these magazines will no longer be sold in 350 of its company owned stores.

Following a campaign calling on 7-Eleven to withdraw unrestricted pornographic magazines that sexualise teen girls and encourage harassment, Collective Shout can announce a victory.

Following a decade campaigning against Wicked Camper vans for their sexist, degrading and abusive slogans - some even making jokes of rape, torture and murder - Collective Shout can announce victory. 

After the long campaign against the vans for slogans such as “The difference between marmalade and jam is you can’t marmalade your cock down your girlfriend’s throat”, our perseverance has paid off, with state transport ministers signing an agreement to de-register vans carrying slogans like this.

A history of our activism against Wicked Campers, included petitions, persuading Lonely Planet to dump endorsement of the company, a successful collaboration with Wollombi Music Festival to ban entry of all Wicked vans and ongoing lobbying of MPs. (A more detailed history can be found here).

Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT enacted legislation to de-register Wicked Camper vans where Ad Standards had upheld complaints against them. NT went even further, with a decision to de-register vans unconditional on any Ad Standards determination. While these moves were welcome, Collective Shout pointed out that given the vans routinely crossed borders, uniform legislation was needed across the country. 

Now, under the new plan agreed on at a national meeting of transport ministers, Wicked Campers with offensive slogans will be banned from registration in all states and territories. Each state has agreed to deregister vans that do not remove offensive slogans following a complaint, and to ensure that the van cannot be re-registered in another jurisdiction. 

Movement Director Melinda Tankard Reist said the decade-long campaign was necessary due to a failed system of advertising self-regulation. “Ad Standards has no authority to enforce its rulings, and there are no penalties for non-compliance. Wicked Campers repeatedly and defiantly breached the advertising code of ethics with no consequences – more than 80 times since 2010” Ms Tankard Reist said. 

The company was fuelling a culture in which violence against women thrived. Unaddressed, Wicked Campers’ messages served to undermine efforts to eradicating violence against women.

“At a time when governments are finally acknowledging the links between sexist attitudes and harmful behaviours, (see Women’s Health Victoria ‘Advertising (in)equality, 2018), funding anti-violence, respectful relationships and consent programs, it seemed remarkable that they could allow Wicked’s mobile misogyny to go unrestrained for so long,” Ms Tankard Reist said.

“We welcome this move. But it’s not the end. We need to see stronger regulation applied to other recalcitrant companies which refuse to abide by the Australian Association of National Advertisers Code of Ethics and which continue to put their vested interests above the wellbeing of the community.”

Collective Shout challenges false claims by Honey Birdette CEO re porn-themed ads

Grassroots campaigning movement Collective Shout has captured images of children participating in Easter activities being exposed to porn-themed shop front displays in WA shopping centres.

Grassroots campaigning movement Collective Shout has exposed online marketplace Amazon selling multiple books promoting rape and sexual torture of women and children.

This comes days after the company was forced to remove pedophile-themed baby onesies with the slogans “Daddy’s little f**k toy” and “I just look illegal”.

Campaigns manager Caitlin Roper said that the titles available for purchase promoted rape, gang rape and rape of girls by their fathers.

“These books depict victims, including children, as sexually enticing and therefore deserving of rape,” she said.

“They emphasise the victims’ vulnerability, their unwillingness and their pleas, treating their resistance as something erotic and sexy.

“Amazon’s despicable promotion of rape and child sexual abuse as sexy or somehow warranted undermines global efforts to address an epidemic of men’s sexual violence against women and children.

“It’s time for Amazon to start exercising basic corporate social responsibility and to wake up to the real-world impacts of the rape books they are profiting from.”

Collective Shout has been campaigning against Amazon since 2010, when the company sold ‘The Pedophile’s Guide to Love & Pleasure: A Child-Lover’s Code of Conduct’, an instruction manual advising pedophiles on committing sexual offences against children without being caught. Amazon initially refused to remove the book, but after a global protest and threats of boycott the book was removed from sale.

Since then, Collective Shout has documented Amazon’s ongoing sale of sexually exploitative products, including sexy nurse costumes for female toddlers and child sex dolls.

Members of Collective Shout reached out to Amazon executives on Twitter, including founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, but have not received a response.

Media contact
Caitlin Roper 
[email protected]

4 April 2019

Collective Shout releases annual blacklist of repeat corporate offenders

Collective Shout today announces the release of its annual ‘Cross em off your Christmas list’ – a selection of companies to boycott this Christmas for objectifying women and sexualising girls for profit.

The grassroots campaigning movement first launched the list in 2010.

The 2018 line-up includes:

Westfield for failing to take action on resident sex shop Honey Birdette, which openly defies Ad Standards rulings against porn-themed window displays. Westfield (owned by Scentre Group) has ignored a 65,000 strong petition.

Cosmetic company Frank Body for targeting teen girls through its ‘Send Nudes’ lip tint . The company has ignored the protests of Melbourne schoolgirls who spoke out about normalising the harassing refrain girls endure from boys, often daily.

Wicked Campers for its long history of degrading and sexist slogans – some even advocating murdering women - on hire vans, also in breach of Ad Standards.

Ultra Tune for its sexist advertising and hiring high profile men with histories of rape, physical violence and domestic abuse to star in their ads.

Campaigns manager Melinda Liszewski said research demonstrated a connection between the way women and girls are portrayed in advertising and the impact on attitudes towards women and their treatment. A 2015 meta-analysis showed objectified portrayals of women led to a ‘diminished view of women’s competence, morality and humanity.’ [Media and Sexualization: State of Empirical Research, 1995-2015, Ward LM, The Journal of Sex Research (2016)]

"These companies are harming women and girls, demonstrating a lack of corporate social responsibility. We can't let them get away with it."

Find the complete list here. 

November 18, 2018

Collective Shout calls on Immigration Minister to revoke serial abuser Sheen's visa

Grassroots campaigning movement Collective Shout has called for Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman, to revoke actor Charlie Sheen's visa.

Sheen is set to kick off a speaking tour in Australia next month. Sheen's sickening history of sexual assault, battery and threats against women spans over two decades.

Campaigns Manager Caitlin Roper said Charlie Sheen is a serial abuser of women.

"Given his long history of sexual assault, battery and threatening to kill women, how was he granted a visa?"

"We've got enough problems with violence against women in Australia, so why are we rolling out the red carpet for serial abusers of women?" Ms Roper said.  

Australian Immigration Fact Sheet 78 on Controversial Visa Applicants refers to “people whose presence in Australia may, because of their activities, reputation, known record or the cause they represent and propagate, vilify or incite discord in the Australian community or a segment of that community, or represent a danger to the Australian community or a segment of that community.”

Collective Shout Director Coralie Alison said "We believe the application by Charlie Sheen meets the Department’s definition of ‘Controversial Visa Applicant’. Our views are based on his long and documented criminal history of violence against women. Allowing Mr Sheen into the country sends the message that domestic violence is not taken seriously."

Collective Shout have posted an open letter on their website and are encouraging their supporters to add their name.

Collective Shout calls for uniform laws to stop Wicked Campers promotion of rape and murder

Grassroots campaigning movement Collective Shout has called for legislation to deregister Wicked Campers vehicles featuring misogynist and racist slogans and imagery.

Tasmania, ACT and Queensland have passed laws to deregister Wicked Campers if they do not abide by Ad Standards rulings. Collective Shout has launched a petition as part of the campaign #drivewickedofftheroad, calling on Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia to do the same. Ministers responsible for transport and roads Luke Donnellan (VIC), Melinda Pavey (NSW), Stephan Knoll (SA) and Michelle Hopkins Roberts (WA) are being called on to act. Over 4000 have signed the petition so far.

To date, Wicked Campers have have fallen foul of Ad Standards over 80 times - some vans carrying slogans promoting rape and even murder of women. But the company refuses to comply with Ad Standards rulings.

Collective Shout Director Coralie Alison said this was yet another example of the failures of advertising industry self-regulation.

“The current system is a failure. Wicked Campers repeatedly and defiantly breach the code of ethics with no consequences,” Ms Alison said.

“There are no penalties for non-compliance, which means there is nothing to stop companies like Wicked Campers promoting misogyny and treating the abuse of women as a punchline. That’s why we need uniform legislation across states and territories."