World

Ireland Bans Graphic And Violent ‘Child Abuse’ PSA…But Why?

The short and disturbing clip posted below was meant to draw attention to the problem of child abuse in Ireland. Instead it was pulled from the airwaves. The public service announcement was not removed because of the shocking violence against the child depicted in the spot. Watch the clip and see if you can figure out why it was scrubbed:

(Content warning — this video shows violence against a child.)

Ireland’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ordered the commercial off all media outlets in the country, much to the dismay of the people behind the spot, the Irish Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC).

The reason for the ASAI’s action: They claim the ad is unbalanced because the spot only shows a man beating the child. Seriously. The Irish media watchdogs did not think it was “fair” because there was not equal time showing a woman striking the little boy.

How did the watchdog group come to this realization? According to a story in AdWeek, the ASA received just 13 complaints about the ad and decided that banning it was the right thing to do. The ASAI’s formal statement:

Complainants objected to the advertisement on the basis that it was unbalanced in its treatment of the subject of abuse in the home. The advertisement only depicted a male as being the aggressor and the complainants considered this to be unbalanced.

Somehow the focus was shifted from the victim (the little boy) to the lack of equal balance in depicting the sex of the abuser.  The ISPCC was shocked by the decision and has released a statement reacting to the ban:

The ISPCC believes that the campaign successfully tackles the very tough and sensitive issue of physical abuse in Ireland and while this may be unsettling to watch, it is a reality that should not be hidden in the shadows. Indeed the ASAI, in their report stated that the Complaints Committee “accepted that the level of violence portrayed while disturbing was realistic and that the primary message being conveyed in the advertising was the existence of this abuse.”

Ad Week reports that ISPCC is appealing the ruling.


Child Abuse PSA

H/T – AdWeek

Comments (74)

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  • jduff
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 9:45pm

    You actually find yourself able to say that? While sure, there might be an unfair representation of violent men and women in the world, but should we be taking it out on a commercial opposing child abuse??? There is a time and place for everything, and this commercial should not be about who’s hurting the poor boy, it should be about the poor boy being abused.

    Report Post »  
  • kwolfburg
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 9:13pm

    In viewing the ad I did not see a father beating his son. I saw a child abused by an adult. It mattered not whether it was male or female, it was frightening.

    Report Post »  
  • trench99
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 8:43pm

    It’s all BS! Propoganda designed to get people comfortable with the government encroaching on their privacy, their parental rights, & to fund more government programs to do same. Is there child abuse? Sure. But most the people who work ( work being paid ) to supposedly help kids generally spend more time helping themselves, no abused kids = no jobs, so get more “clients”. People who volunteer ( guardian ad litems, shelter volunteers, church groups, ect. ) generally do more to help and have no alterior motives.

    Report Post »  
  • thermonator
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 8:26pm

    Oh my.
    I find my self taking the surely unpopular position of agreeing with this ruling. Let me explain why.

    In this country men have been unfairly stereotyped by the feminists and have had laws enacted that portray them as violent and unfit fathers. The VAWA (violence against women act) is a billion dollar a year government program that funds women’s ONLY shelters and funding for women and mothers only.
    By the feminists own definition of what constitutes an act of domestic violence, women perpetrate more domestic violence then men.
    Nobody in this country even talks about violence by women because the stereotype that men are the cause of it is so ingrained into peoples psych.

    Joe Biden just went on The View reaffirming the notion that men are the violent ones. No mention that women should be held to the same standard.

    Make an ad about child abuse. But make one that represents reality and not some kind of politically correct, female empowerment one, at the cost of the children that they claim to care about.

    Report Post » thermonator  
    • jueta
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 11:29pm

      I agree with alot of what you said. Let’s take Casey Anthony just as the most recent example. I believe there are alot more abusive women out there than people think. I also believe that there are more men who are abusive to their wives and children. Most people who abuse their kids are probably abusing their spouses also. My father beat my butt among other things but he never smacked or punched me, he saved that for my mother!

      Report Post »  
    • shellyme00
      Posted on October 3, 2011 at 11:19am

      Are you kidding me?? boho boho poor men so missunderstood. THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN ARE BEING ABUSED EVERYDAY AND YOU WORRIED ab out yourself?? I dont care if men or woman do it MORE I DO CARE THAT CHILDREN EVERYDAY ARE BEING ABUSED AND SOME CASES K I L L E D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE NEED TO DO SOMTHING AND SAVE OUR CHILDREN.

      Report Post »  
    • thermonator
      Posted on October 4, 2011 at 7:08am

      Don’t be silly.
      A TV ad isn‘t going to stop child abuse anymore then taking smoking ad’s off the TV has stopped smoking.
      Running down the street yelling fire hysterically won’t put out the fire.
      It‘s not politically correct to use women in these kind of ’stop the abuse’ programs even tho they are the main players.

      Report Post » thermonator  
  • christos
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 7:53pm

    @RATIONAL MAN : My original post was quoting scripture people know in their heart what punishment should be applied if they go over board +GOD+ not government will deal with them,as for meddlers the government are meddlers,that is my opinion they are extreme hypocrites they claim all these people are child abusers yet they kill millions through abortion they are an advocate for the anti +CHRIST+ glad I still have my first amendment,healthy dialog always gets results,name calling doesn’t.

    Report Post » christos  
  • rdietz7
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 7:11pm

    Women are more physically abusive to their children than men. I know it, they can deny it but its true. Statistics are always backing up what researchers are seeking out. Sociological hogwash.

    Report Post » rdietz7  
    • rdietz7
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 7:17pm

      The video should have been his mummy ripping his hair out of his head and beating him with a rolling pin

      Report Post » rdietz7  
    • trench99
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 8:53pm

      Statistically women spend more time around their children than men thus more engagement, more aggravation, more stress from the children, and more opportunities to lose their tempers with their children. Also men are generally more aware of their size & strength and women may not be.

      Report Post »  
    • leonie alemann
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 10:17pm

      Women commit more violence against children because they have more access. The violence inflicted by men tends to be more violent: men are stronger than women.

      The man mostly likely to abuse a child is the mother’s latest lover, a man not related to the child. One would like to think that normal biological urges would encourage people to defend their biological children, but there are so many women who are only serially monogamous, and have a series of children, each with a different father, that most of these fathers have no real relationship with their biological children. If they did, many would defend their children.

      The PURPOSE of marriage is to protect pregnant women and children from the depredations of sexually opportunistic men.

      Report Post » leonie alemann  
  • ZengaPA65
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:32pm

    Even if they’re not drunks they still have alcoholic personalities and are meanass parents. Everyone with an Irish parent knows this. It’s the Irish way. Erin Go Bragh!

    Report Post » ZengaPA65  
    • rdietz7
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 7:14pm

      Irish people heat the hell out of their little micks

      Report Post » rdietz7  
  • TJexcite
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:20pm

    That Ad certainly get to the point. But some style changes they should done is to change the camera angle not not show the smack just hear it.

    If they re-shot it to show a girl getting hit and a mother hitting. With the children saying the same thing. They might get it on the air. But now that it on the internet nothing can make it go away.

    Report Post » TJexcite  
    • mils
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:36pm

      I think they‘re upset because they don’t want others joining in on their national pass-time….

      Report Post »  
  • ADNIL
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:16pm

    Abuse not only comes from adults (parents) but also from older siblings, when the older children are left in charge of younger children and the younger children are made to be too afraid to tell what is being done to them when the adults are not around.

    Report Post »  
  • carkrueger
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:15pm

    That was very powerful. That ad is needed in America. 25 years ago my father beat my 14 year old sister like an animal. It was the day I left my house for good. I’ve often thought – what would have happened if I had called the police? Those things just were not done back then. This is a necessary message – unfortunately.

    Report Post »  
    • trench99
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 8:47pm

      Yeah I’ll tell you what would have happened- you & siblings placed with some foster strangers who molest & beat you. Maybe you were just too stupid to learn when to be out of sight, maybe you were better off on your own. IDK, maybe you should have told a relative. Government programs are NEVER the answer.

      Report Post »  
  • jungle J
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:07pm

    that man beating that child was built by a sadistic women.

    Report Post »  
  • jungle J
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:06pm

    women are vicious…anyone that doesn’t know that has never seen a women work over a child psychologically…women are far more mean spirited than men…look what they have done to the last two generations of males…why do you think many women will not vote for another women….?

    Report Post »  
  • Charlie
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 5:40pm

    Different question: What about the CHILD in this PSA?? You’ve seen comments after an ad that say “No animal was injured in creation of this ad”. I am in support of protecting children, but what about this child? How did they approve that?? Poor kid. The blood and marks could be fake but it looks like the child was hurt in this ad. Maybe there is another way to communicate it. There are plenty of abuse photos available.. I know…

    Report Post »  
  • Alik2
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 5:29pm

    All I can say is OMG. How ridiculous. That’s the problem today. Everything has to be so “fair”. Wake
    Up life’s not fair!

    Report Post »  
  • Rational Man
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 5:20pm

    @Secessionista

    God’s word is not an opinion. And “spare the rod and spoil the child”, refers to corporal punishment, not putting your foot on a kids face and slamming his head into the wall child abuse.

    Your pseudo-intellectual use of the word “statist” doesn’t make you appear smart. Quiet the opposite!
    Proof of that is in the fact that you took my comment literally……………..

    Report Post » Rational Man  
    • jungle J
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:02pm

      it does not mean corp punishment it means corrective action…

      Report Post »  
    • Rational Man
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:49pm

      Which includes spanking.
      My post here is out of context. It was intended to be a reply to someone who thought that people were medling in other people’s private business of punishing or the discipline of their child. They used the quote attributed to Proverbs 13:24 to make their point. Which is a mistake in that discipline in the form of spanking is far from what is seen in the video.
      But think whatever you want…………….

      Report Post » Rational Man  
    • David Foxfire
      Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:56pm

      “Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child.” Those six words drove more people away from a relationship with Christ than the rest of the Bible combined.

      Report Post »  
  • Cat
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 5:12pm

    …
    Wait just a minute.
    A child is abused, and the conclusion is only a male can do the dirty deed.
    Look closer.
    What the child is asking for is the government to step in and take care of things.
    The basis of the socialist’s agenda is to grow the child into believing the government, not the family, is the center of all things.

    Report Post » Cat  
  • The Divided States of America
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:47pm

    Maybe it was a transexual ? The brutal abuse of children should be splashed upon every airwave and pc, bill board and movie theatre…It should hit us in the face from every where we turn till we are so sick of seeing it, that we all take a stand and force the justice system to make it a life sentence to abuse any child !!!

    Report Post » The Divided States of America  
    • Squ33
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:53pm

      The media watchdog group thinks that people are stupid, and can‘t understand that it shouldn’t matter whether it is a man, woman, or half-and-half abuse a child. It’s the main message that should be told, who cares about the details!

      Report Post » Squ33  
    • The Divided States of America
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 5:36pm

      The abused male child who has been abused by a male figure will either grow up to hate men and become a bully or he will become enraged at women for not sticking up for him. He will then be an abuser of women. The psychological damage to children is simply quite amazing and terrifying to our society as a whole.The female abused child who has been abused by a male figure will either grow up to protect the underdog or she will become the wretched slut, hating herself completely and destroying the very fiber of her soul with wanton guilt and shame. The sexual identity of each abused child will be formed from the rudiments of hate and it will spiral into a epic nightmare of identity crisis. Who am I ? will be the question as they try to determine their sexuality in the mirror of time. The opposite is true for the child who has been abused by a female figure. More and more women are entering the prison system each year. More and more women are being charged with sexual misconduct each year and the outcome of all of this abuse leaves each soul to ask the question ? How can I help ? …. The answer might surprise you. It’s called getting involved with your community, stop turning a blind eye to the realities of life and make a difference !!! God bless the children for they are the light of God !!!

      Report Post » The Divided States of America  
  • Captain Crunch
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:45pm

    Hey Blaze staff….I the few minutes I have been in this page reading and posting comments, that damm UPS commercial has played 3 times and each time it overrode my mute command. I understand they are a paying sponser, but this repetition and intrusion on my ears is giving me a hostile additude toward both the Blaze and UPS. I will make sure I don’t use UPS in the future just because of the irritation these ads have caused. I promise to use FEDEX in the future. You people are getting rediculous with the ads.

    Report Post »  
    • Mike Opelka
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:52pm

      Thanks for the update… sometimes these ads go rogue on us. We only know when you tell us.

      Report Post » Mike Opelka  
    • YepImaConservative
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:57pm

      UPS is a UNION organization… FEDEX is not… that alone should be enough for you to use FEDEX.

      Report Post » YepImaConservative  
    • Psychosis
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 5:06pm

      change your browser

      its not the site, its the browser you use

      if you change it to firefox and add the ad pop up stopper ( both are free) you will never be bothered again

      besides, you can do so much more with firefox

      Report Post » Psychosis  
  • AliceInObamaland
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:45pm

    The ad was incredible violent yes, but effective. I wanted to reach out to that boy and save him. I could careless if the abuser had been female the focus is the child and his safety. They only emotion I had for the abuser was disgust and an urge to smack him around for a while and see how he likes it.
    Child abuse is a reality but many don’t get how brutal it can get. They’ve never seen or experienced it for themself. Thankfully I have never experienced it, but with both my parents having worked in child welfare I know all to well what goes on. People must see the evil so they can recognize it and shun it. Like Glenn say’s about the photos of the civil rights movment, having the world see the violence and evil helped the movement to win.

    Report Post » AliceInObamaland  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:40pm

    Actually, there is an extreme bias in the ad, and indeed in all of our society. Mothers beat their children all the time, and they even hang the, and drown them. The court systems are equally biased, rarely giving custody to a dad unless the mom is an outright admitted crack whore. It’s pervasive in our society.

    If you think it is OK to always portray the abuser as a man, then surely you think it is OK to ALWAYS portray the criminal on TV and in the movies as either black or hispanic?

    I’ve yet to see even one PSA depicting a woman doing anything wrong. Ever. Women are always democrats, er, I mean, victims.

    That all being said, I do not think the ad should have been yanked, but instead, a second ad should have been created showing a woman abusing kids, and both of them run.

    Report Post » Secessionista  
    • obama-mecca-me-sick
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:47pm

      Oh please !! Political correctness gone amuck. Lets come back to common sense and stop being brainwashed by the progressive logic of political correctness.

      Report Post »  
    • Secessionista
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:47pm

      And while we are talking family violence, I have another observation: Women are almost ALWAYS the ones to start swinging fists and slapping when a disagreement happens, while men are expected to sit back and take it. Expected! This is the beginning of family violence patterns in many cases, if not most. Once the precedent is set, the use of force is an opened door. it doesn’t surprise me at all that some relationships gravitate and evolved into one of violence, even though there was none in the beginning.

      People really should get to the bottom of the hows whens and whys if they really and truly wish to solve these problems. It’s the same in the middle east. They a killing us because we are there, not because they hate us. We MAKE ourselves the target of their frustration and we are so powerful that no military could ever stand against us, so the only way to retaliate is to blow themselves up. We would do it to, if Russia or China were occupying our heartland and our cities.

      And they’d call us terrorists, too. (Even if we called ourselves patriots, no one else would).

      Report Post » Secessionista  
    • Secessionista
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:54pm

      OK, Obama Mecca Me Sick, let’s dispense with the political corrctness – the state has no business interfering in the affairs of a family – how a father raises his children is none of our business. If he wants to beat his kids, fine. The Bible clearly states spare the rod and spoil the child. Biblically, the dad was going easy on him. Most sane parents know that children must be disciplined. Hippie parents excepted.

      How’s that? I’ve removed ALL political correctness, including the variant that you yourself use. You know, the one that says the government should be in every nook and cranny of our lives.

      Report Post » Secessionista  
  • Captain Crunch
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:39pm

    It is totally mind boggling to me how people can be concerned about whether it’s a man or woman doing the abusing. Doesn’t matter if the abuser is a man or woman.
    In my opinion a child abuser/beater needs to abused by another adult in a most severe way.

    Report Post »  
  • christos
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:34pm

    ……+GOD+ said spare the rod spoil the child,,meddlers.

    Report Post » christos  
    • Rational Man
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:51pm

      I feel like using a rod on people who misuse scripture!….IDIOT!

      Report Post » Rational Man  
    • Secessionista
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:58pm

      You might be a statist then, if you harbor feelings of beating people simply for their opinions.

      Report Post » Secessionista  
    • Rational Man
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 5:23pm

      @Secessionista

      God’s word is not an opinion. And “spare the rod and spoil the child”, refers to corporal punishment, not putting your foot on a kids face and slamming his head into the wall child abuse.

      Your pseudo-intellectual use of the word “statist” doesn’t make you appear smart. Quiet the opposite!
      Proof of that is in the fact that you took my comment literally…………………..

      Report Post » Rational Man  
    • christos
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:44pm

      @RATIONAL MAN—-You sound irrational and violent—-and would your answer apply to people who have and advocate abortion? Sounds like your living in the old testament,their is no room in your heart for +JESUS+ your attitude is not +CHRIST+ like your speaking revenge not forgiveness,your attitude is judge jury and executioner,that role is already filled by +GOD+ and exactly what do you mean by corporal being you authored the Bible…+JESUS+ died for all sinners and +JESUS+ said vengeance is +HIS+ not yours…

      Report Post » christos  
    • christos
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:48pm

      @RATIONAL MAN–Don’t jump on SECSSIONISTA you knew what that was a typo they meant SADIST……

      Report Post » christos  
    • christos
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 6:50pm

      @ RATIONAL MAN —- You sound so perfect what do you need +GOD+ for.PIOUS

      Report Post » christos  
    • Rational Man
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 7:14pm

      I repeat,….IDIOT!

      Instead of defending your original post, you attack me with unfounded accusations and unintelligible comments about what you assume my character is. Trying to squirm out of it?

      Did you even watch the video? Do you really think that people are just “meddlers” for wanting to draw attention to real child abuse?? This isn’t about spanking, it’s about abuse!

      Evidently, you are as stupid as the other guy who chose to take my comment literally to attack me. Instead of addressing the issue of my post in that it’s not about, “spare the rod and spoil the child”, which pertains to discipline or punishment. It’s about child abuse, stupid!
      And I hate it when people like you misuse things that are attributed to God’s word to make some lame irrelevant point thats not in context with the subject at hand.
      Try to understand the topic your posting about before you post next time………………….

      Report Post » Rational Man  
    • christos
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 7:29pm

      @ RATIONAL MAN : YEA more evidence you are irrational,name calling wow,anyway exactly what is your definition of spare the rod ? Nope I certainly did watch the video,sorry commercials are not going to stop that,they have statistics,again spare the rod spoil the child,and you advocating taking a rod to those who misuse scripture isn’t violent O.K. you are misguided also would this taking a rod to people would this include the topic of people who have and advocate abortion or is murdering a fetus in a different category than child abuse Yea,O.K. Mercy Trumps Vengeance and you are not +GOD+

      Report Post » christos  
    • christos
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 7:33pm

      …+JESUS+ did not die for the Righteous he died for the sinners,even thinking a sin in +GODS+ eyes means your guilty of it even if you have not physically done it,take the speck out of your own eye,it may help to see more clearly,O.K. Yea

      Report Post » christos  
    • Rational Man
      Posted on October 2, 2011 at 7:43pm

      I’m dealing with mentally retarded people here!

      Okay, don’t answer to your original post.

      At least you have basic Christian theology right it seems. So you’ll be alright, I hope.
      Albeit really confused otherwise……………..
      Have a nice Sunday evening.

      Report Post » Rational Man  
  • Cherynn
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:34pm

    Children should never be used as a punching bag and adults that lack that kind of self control should have thier ability to reproduce eliminated.

    Report Post » Cherynn  
  • Ookspay
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:28pm

    There are few things in this world really worthy of righteous indignation and outright anger, this is one. Child abuse is one of the worst crimes as it creates new offenders in the process. Despicable!

    Report Post » Ookspay  
  • abbygirl1994
    Posted on October 2, 2011 at 4:23pm

    “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” The UK has gone over the deep end!

    Report Post » abbygirl1994  
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