“Glamourising violence”: Why is Spotlight selling ‘Pimp’ costumes?

Collective Shout supporter Alice alerted us to crafts and fabric store Spotlight selling Pimp costumes.

Pimps control women and girls in commercial sexual exploitation, often through physical violence and abuse. They sell vulnerable women and girls to other men for paid sexual abuse and take a cut (or all) of their earnings.

In a Facebook post, Alice asked:

In a world with increasing rates of sexual violence against women (and men), why is this 'Pimp Costume' being sold in your stores Spotlight?

A staggering 45-75% of those working in the sex trade (mostly women) will become the victim of violence.

Selling these costumes is glamorising a culture that exploits some of the most vulnerable women and exposes them to unimaginable trauma. It flies in the face of a culture that purports to care about violence against women.

It's 2024. Do better Spotlight.

We call on Spotlight to remove Pimp costumes from sale.