Bakers Delight Christmas advert SLAMMED for 'trivialising child abuse' by showing two little girls bound and gagged with lemon tarts
A popular bakery chain has been slammed for 'trivialising child abuse' after it released an advert showing two little girls bound and gagged with lemon tarts.
The poster was raised outside the Baker's Delight store at Currambine Central shopping centre, in the northern suburbs of Perth, as part of a Christmas campaign.
Two little girls, tricked out in Christmas hats, are bound by fairy lights in front of the Christmas tree in the living room.
Their mouths are gagged by lemon tarts with the title resting over their head: 'Silent Nights'.
Bakers Delight has been slammed for 'trivialising child abuse' after it released this advert showing two little girls bound and gagged with lemon tarts ahead of the Christmas season
The poster was raised outside the Baker's Delight store at Currambine Central shopping centre, in the northern suburbs of Perth
A photo of the advertisement was posted to Facebook where it has drawn outrage from parents and feminist campaigners who say it 'trivialises' child abuse.
Collective Shout founder Melinda Tankard Reist said the image had gone beyond the boundaries of a festive tone.
'It trivialises the serious issue of the abuse and torture of children. Did Bakers Delight consider how survivors of child abuse might feel about this promotion?' she asked.
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'This has gone beyond a joke about quieting noisy children with sweets. It normalises the stereotype of 'noisy' women who need to be silenced, in this case with food shoved in their mouths.'
Outraged residents added to the chorus saying the advertisement was made in bad taste.
'All I can see in those girls eyes is 'help me',' one person commented.
'This ad isn't remotely funny.'
Another person added: 'Sorry but this advertising completely misses the mark. Two scared girls bound and gagged.
'You may think I'm overreacting or say it's lighthearted but our nation has an issue with domestic and family violence with women, men and children dying frequently because of it - so it's not something we need to normalise or have as a 'joke'.'
A Baker's Delight worker told Daily Mail Australia they had received a complaint from one person visiting the store.
'When we received the complaint we took the poster down straight away,' they said.
The bakery also released a statement apologising for the advertisement.
'As a family-owned business, Bakers Delight does not condone family and/or child abuse in any form and we are deeply concerned that some parts of our current marketing campaign may have caused offence,' they said.
'Trivialising an important issue like child abuse was never our intention and we apologise to anyone we may have inadvertently upset.'
Collective Shout founder Melinda Tankard Reist said the image had gone beyond the boundaries of a festive tone
Outraged residents added to the chorus saying the advertisement was made in bad taste