Fed: Youth suicide prevention group angry at magazine ad

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2000
Fed: Youth suicide prevention group angry at magazine ad

MELBOURNE, April 17 AAP - A youth suicide prevention group today called for a magazine
advertisement depicting a girl with a rope around her neck and apparently feigning asphyxiation
to be banned.

The ad for a range of hair and skin products in the April 15-21 edition of TV Week
outraged the Here for Life group, which said the image "should not be used in any circumstance".

The advertisement depicts a smiling family, including two children holding a rope wrapped
around the neck of a third child.

A caption under the picture says: "Unlike most large families, the Freemans don't have
any hang-ups. Simply because they're a family of quick and easy solutions.

"Solutions for dirty hair. Solutions for beautiful skin. Even solutions for dirty feet."

Victorian Here for Life executive director Andrew Kay said the advertisement demonstrated
"a clear lack of sensitivity towards those whose lives are directly affected by suicide".

"The media industry must take responsibility for the way it portrays such issues,"

Mr Kay told AAP.

TV Week editor Katie Ekberg was unavailable for comment and a publicist for the magazine
said there was no one "appropriate" around to respond to the criticism.

But the publicist said the ad - put to TV Week by the Sydney-based AKA Media company
- would not be running again in the publication.

AKA Media's Andrew Kluver said: "It is not a mock suicide and I don't want to discuss the issue."

AAP gfr/jd/ah/bwl

KEYWORD: SUICIDE

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