Tonight:
5°c
Animal rights group banned from using poster of Baby P killer
3 Feb 2010An advert for an animal rights group featuring a picture of Baby P's abuser was banned today for using unnecessary shock tactics and exploiting the child's death.
The poster, created by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), showed an image of Steven Barker above the text: "Steven Barker: Animal Abuser, Baby Abuser, Rapist. People who are violent towards animals rarely stop there."
But the poster, which appeared on a billboard in Haringey, north London - where Baby P lived and died - sparked complaint over its "offensive and distressing" use of shock tactics.
It was also deemed to be "particularly offensive and distressing" for people living in the area where the tragedy occurred,
Peta rebuffed the complaint, saying the poster aimed to prevent such tragedies from reoccurring.
But although the campaign group referenced numerous studies documenting the link between cruelty to animals and to people, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld the grievance.
The watchdog "noted Peta's argument" but said the animal rights group "should not cause fear or distress without good reason".
"We noted that, although Baby P died in August 2007, his death was a high-profile, emotive case which continued to get extensive press coverage," the watchdog ruled.
"We acknowledged that some people might therefore find the reference to the Baby P case in the poster exploitative.
"We considered that the claim and image used in the ad had been used in a shocking way merely to attract attention and that the reason did not justify the means in this case.
"We therefore also considered that the ad was likely to cause serious offence and distress to some people."
The advertisement must not appear again in its current form.
Responding to the ruling, Peta's Poorva Joshipura said: "Cruelty to animals and children is inherently shocking, and in creating the ad we hoped to prevent other children and animals from suffering the kind of shocking abuse that Baby P and Mr Barker's animal victims suffered.
"It is imperative that any community faced with animal abuse take measures to stem the violence before more children and animals are attacked or killed."
Three people were jailed at the Old Bailey for causing the death of Baby P.
Tracey Connelly, 28, of Penshurst Road, Tottenham, north London, her boyfriend Barker, 33, and lodger Jason Owen, 37, of Bromley, south-east London, were all convicted of causing or allowing the child's death.
As a child, Barker had tortured guinea pigs and had tormented frogs by breaking their legs.
Reader views (4)
ASA are quite right to ban this advert. There is not necessarily any link between people who abuse people and/or children, and people who abuse animals. Indeed, many infamously cruel historical people, like Adolf Hitler for example, were passionate about animals. Trying to create a link is a disgraceful attempt by Peta to gain support for their causes off the back of other peoples suffering. Some people who abuse animals may well go on to abuse people, just as some people who are passionate about animals will do the same. The problem is defining the word abuse. Abuse of people is easily defined, but with animals it depends where you personally stand on animal rights. For example, hunting, shooting, fishing, eating meat and drinking milk are all forms of animal abuse for some people, for others they are not. ASA are right to protect the public from extreme views of organisations like Peta
- Jeremy, Perersfield England, 04/02/2010 09:16
Report abuse
It is well documented, that many child abusers, murderers and seriel killers have also taken pleasure in the torture of animals, lets face it, do you not find it 'odd' that this could be considered of no possible future concern and go unpunished.
The Police and powers that be need to take cruelty towards animals very seriously indeed, it could save animal and human life.
- Deborah, EXETER DEVON, 03/02/2010 13:13
Report abuse
Once again the state protects the guilty instead of the victims and potential victims
- Bj, East London, 03/02/2010 11:00
Report abuse
What are these people afraid of? As far as I can see, no image of baby Peter was used in Peta's campaign, and it is very well documented that most child abusers of this kind i.e. those who employ torture as a means of controlling a weaker being for the purpose of self affirmation, start their vile careers by abusing animals, who are even more voiceless than children. Truth hurts, but until we accept why/how these things are allowed to happen, then happen they will.
- Ruth, Hampton, 03/02/2010 10:20
Report abuse
