When one of our supporters came across an Instagram ad marketing child sex abuse dolls available for purchase, she went straight to Ad Standards to lodge a complaint. Not only did the doll seller account promote the sale of replica little girls for men’s sexual use, it is illegal to advertise these products in Australia.

Days later, she received a response from Ad Standards informing her they would not be reviewing the child sex abuse doll advertisement. Why?

We recently discovered that Pinterest was hosting content that exploited and sexualised teen girls. A user had created a board called 'Teen cameltoes' and was uploading content focusing on young girls genital regions. When a Collective Shout supporter reported it, Pinterest reviewed and decided the content could stay. The supporter then sent us screen shots and Pinterests determination.

The power of one complaint: Speaking out leads to change

Collective Shout supporter, Isla, alerted us to a Wheels & Dollbaby ad promoting their 'St. Trinians collection - inspired by private schoolgirls who make their own rules'.

Wheels and Dollbaby is an Australian ‘rock n’ roll luxury clothing brand with an international market and status attracting big name clients. Clearly the label is popular. But why employ sexy private school girl tropes to push out its products?

School girls everywhere are routinely sexually harassed on a daily basis (and not just the private ones). On their way to school, on their way home.

*Update: The ads have been removed thanks to your rapid action. Scroll to bottom for details*

This week a teacher forwarded us a sponsored post by H&M where pre-teen girls were styled and posed in school fashion outfits and the headline ‘Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion.'

After decades of working against the sexualisation of girls we were immediately concerned and took to social media to call them out.

Our Movement Director, Melinda Tankard Reist, first posted on X (formally twitter) and the response was overwhelming. 

"The little girls parents generally prefer heads don’t ‘turn’ when others see their daughters walking to school, on a bus or in class. Why would you want to fuel the idea that little girls should draw attention to their looks, bodies and ‘style’? Perhaps have a word to your marketing team and come up with something that doesn’t draw attention to pre pubescent girls already struggling to thrive in a culture that values ‘lookism’ as an aspirational goal?" Tankard Reist said on Twitter.

People all around the world began to call H&M out for their harmful and irresponsible ad. 

After just 5 days of campaigning by our supporters, online shopping giant SHEIN has removed a range of g-strings for girls and a miniature penis shaped ‘squishy’ toy.

Update: 71 accounts now gone from Twitter.

*Content warning*

We are celebrating a big win with more child sex abuse doll promoters being removed from the platform. Collective Shout have been instrumental in bringing these accounts to the attention of Twitter heads who then have fast tracked the process of suspending the accounts. 

Please DM me with a few of the user handles.

— Ella Irwin (@ellagirwin) April 7, 2023

We’ve had another #WakeUpInstagram campaign win, with Instagram announcing the following new measures to help protect young people from predators: