Shock-publicity: Good or Bad? (TW for sexual abuse)
A few years ago, the gov. of my province started showing theses awareness advertisements for road safety. What set them apart from previous awareness campaigns was the shock value of these TV ads; They showed car crashes (with graphic injuries showed in slow motion) to try and shock people in the hopes that perhaps the message would be taken more seriously. (or just downright scare them to death. Speed kills, people!)
Though I found them a bit too shocking, I though; "Well, if it's what it takes for people to learn" etc etc.
...These days, I'm not so sure. You see, now my province's gov. has started a new awareness campaign: Sexual abuse. Last year they had a TV ad that showed a woman, talking to the camera and addressing her abuser "Twenty years later and it still hurts," the woman said, close to tears. It was really the kind of ad that made you pause and think.
But last night, I was watching TV, unaware that I was going to be shown their new "shocking" awareness ad. A closeup on someone's mid-section (it could be a girl, a guy, or even a teenage boy: you can't really tell) and suddenly big hands come up and try to unzip the pants... The hands are chased away with a slap - But then they come back and pretty soon it's a pretty violent struggle (A very realistic one, too) There's a cut, and then they show the victim's trembling hands zipping their pants back up.
As soon as the ad ended, I started to cry, I thought I was going to be sick. Now, I have never been the victim of such abuse but my first thought was "What if someone who's been abused sees this ad?" That thought made me cry some more and feel even more sick. I think that this particular ad pushed the envelope WAY too far.
So my question is this: Does shock-publicity really work? Is there a line that should never be crossed?
Though I found them a bit too shocking, I though; "Well, if it's what it takes for people to learn" etc etc.
...These days, I'm not so sure. You see, now my province's gov. has started a new awareness campaign: Sexual abuse. Last year they had a TV ad that showed a woman, talking to the camera and addressing her abuser "Twenty years later and it still hurts," the woman said, close to tears. It was really the kind of ad that made you pause and think.
But last night, I was watching TV, unaware that I was going to be shown their new "shocking" awareness ad. A closeup on someone's mid-section (it could be a girl, a guy, or even a teenage boy: you can't really tell) and suddenly big hands come up and try to unzip the pants... The hands are chased away with a slap - But then they come back and pretty soon it's a pretty violent struggle (A very realistic one, too) There's a cut, and then they show the victim's trembling hands zipping their pants back up.
As soon as the ad ended, I started to cry, I thought I was going to be sick. Now, I have never been the victim of such abuse but my first thought was "What if someone who's been abused sees this ad?" That thought made me cry some more and feel even more sick. I think that this particular ad pushed the envelope WAY too far.
So my question is this: Does shock-publicity really work? Is there a line that should never be crossed?