Grassroots campaigning movement Collective Shout: for a world free of sexploitation has released its annual “Crossed Off” list. First launched 13 years ago, the blacklist is a compilation of corporate offenders which have objectified women and sexualised girls to sell products and services throughout the year.
You can read a full list of this year’s nominees HERE.
The list serves as a guide of companies to avoid during the Christmas shopping period for consumers who wish to spend ethically.
Online shopping platform Etsy tops the list for hosting child sex abuse dolls and replica child body parts, modelled on the bodies of little girls and marketed for men’s sexual use. Despite a petition by musician, fashion designer and mother of five girls Anna Cordell attracting more than 68 000 signatures, widespread condemnation by child safety advocates and politicians, and Etsy sellers shutting up shop as a result, the company has remained silent.
Campaigns manager Caitlin Roper said that Etsy was both facilitating and profiting from child sex abuse dolls which allowed men to practice raping girls.
“These products normalise and legitimise men’s sexual abuse of children,” she said.
“They put children at risk, but Etsy is happy to make money from them.”
This year’s line-up also includes retailers that have used sexist, objectifying and porn-themed advertising, including General Pants, Rebel Sport, Boost Juice, SHEIN and Playboy-owned sex store Honey Birdette. Honey Birdette, which has been in breach of the advertising code of ethics more than 60 times, has been accused of promoting violence against women with its porn and BDSM-inspired advertising in shopping centres, some featuring women being choked.
“We’ve known for a long time that sexist and objectifying representations of women and girls have serious, real-world consequences for them,” said Roper.
“This everyday, routine objectification of women as things is at the root of men’s violence against women and these companies are complicit.”
