I'm horrified by shock ISPCC ad -- abuse victim
A DOMESTIC abuse survivor and retired garda has lodged an official complaint about a shocking ISPCC ad.
The online campaign, which aimed to highlight the physical abuse of children in Ireland, shows a man brutally slamming a young child into a fridge, slapping him across the face and stamping on his head.
The ad has provoked a huge public reaction and former garda inspector Declan Keaveney said he has called the ISPCC to complain as well as the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI).
"I was horrified at the ad," Declan said. "The first thing that hit me was that it was a man who was doing the abuse.
"I found it very distasteful and hurtful."
Mr Keaveney, who was in the gardai for 32 years, said that although the advertisement brought up bad memories, he was furious that it showed the man to be the perpetrator.
"The problem is it was a young boy who was beaten up by a man, by someone he clearly knew," he told the Herald.
"There is a tendency to park the blame at men for physical, domestic and sexual abuse. Not all men are angels, but it's equally just as much women."
Galway native Mr Keaveney was one of the first clients of Amen, the voluntary group providing a confidential support service for male victims of domestic abuse.
And he is now the public representative and court accompanier for the organisation as well as establishing a support agency to assist victims called DK Consultancy.
The ad has provoked huge debate over the content and several other victims of child abuse have contacted the Herald to tell how the ad has affected them.
The ISPCC has defended the 40-second 'I can't wait until I grow up' video.
"Yes, it's harrowing to look at, but you can only imagine how harrowing it is for a child who is living through that," said ISPCC national manager Lloyd Byrne.
clairemurphy@herald.ie
- Claire Murphy
