loosielucy
05-25-2002, 05:02 PM
Subject:
NEWS RELEASE: 7 UP Pulls Prisoner Rape Ad
Date:
Fri, 24 May 2002 17:43:10 +0000
From:
"ACLU NPP, HRW, and SPR" <lstemple@spr.org>
To:
notpartofthepenalty@topica.com
================================================== ==========
#1 in On-Time Delivery, QTR1 2002. Thousands of BizRate.com
consumers must know something. Free same-day shipping with
*every* order over $25. Business-Supply.com makes it simple.
http://click.topica.com/caaamO8a2iUn5a4gkfaa/BusinessSupply
================================================== ==========
Stop Prisoner Rape is happy to announce that 7UP has agreed to pull its
ad that makes jokes about rape in prison in response to our protest! We
thank all of the organizations who joined SPR's campaign and the many
individuals who wrote to and called 7Up. We did it together!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2002
7UP TO PULL TV AD UNDER PRESSURE FROM HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS
Los Angeles - Under pressure from Stop Prisoner Rape, a nonprofit human
rights organization, and nearly 100 other human rights, HIV/AIDS, prison
rights, and sexual violence organizations, Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. has
decided to stop airing a national television commercial that makes light
of rape in prison.
The commercial, created by Young & Rubicam and called Captive Audience,
aired during youth-oriented programming on MTV, UPN, FOX, and the WB. In
the ad, a 7UP spokesperson hands out cans of 7UP to prisoners. When he
accidentally drops a can, he quips that he won’t pick it up, implying
that he would risk being raped if he were to bend down. Later in the ad,
a cell door slams, trapping the spokesperson on a bed with another man
who refuses to take his arm from around him.
Philippa Dworkin, vice president of corporate communications for Dr.
Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., told Lara Stemple, executive director of SPR,
that the ad would be taken off the air in response to the protest.
“This commercial was perpetuating the kind of callousness that allows
sexual abuse to continue in so many prisons virtually unchecked,” said
Stemple. “We’re very glad to hear that 7UP has decided to stop sending
out the message that it’s okay to laugh about rape when it involves
people in prison. No corporation would make jokes about rape outside of
the prison context.”
“We really have listened to them. Their points are very valid and we are
with them on human rights,” Dworkin told a CNSNEWS.com reporter this
week, before the company made the final decision to stop airing the
commercial.
“Nearly 100 organizations spoke out to say that prisoner rape is a
horrific human rights abuse that must be taken seriously,” said Stemple,
“and we’re happy 7UP has listened.”
Men and women in prison are routinely raped and sexually brutalized in
prisons throughout the country, causing serious physical and
psychological injury. Gang rapes can be particularly brutal, leaving
victims viciously beaten, and in rare cases, dead. Long term
consequences for survivors of prisoner rape may include post traumatic
stress disorder, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and suicide.
“Unfortunately, jokes about rape in prison have become alarmingly
common,” said Stemple, “But sexual violence is occurring in prison right
now, to real people, causing real suffering. Simply put, prisoner rape
isn’t funny.”
NEWS RELEASE: 7 UP Pulls Prisoner Rape Ad
Date:
Fri, 24 May 2002 17:43:10 +0000
From:
"ACLU NPP, HRW, and SPR" <lstemple@spr.org>
To:
notpartofthepenalty@topica.com
================================================== ==========
#1 in On-Time Delivery, QTR1 2002. Thousands of BizRate.com
consumers must know something. Free same-day shipping with
*every* order over $25. Business-Supply.com makes it simple.
http://click.topica.com/caaamO8a2iUn5a4gkfaa/BusinessSupply
================================================== ==========
Stop Prisoner Rape is happy to announce that 7UP has agreed to pull its
ad that makes jokes about rape in prison in response to our protest! We
thank all of the organizations who joined SPR's campaign and the many
individuals who wrote to and called 7Up. We did it together!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2002
7UP TO PULL TV AD UNDER PRESSURE FROM HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS
Los Angeles - Under pressure from Stop Prisoner Rape, a nonprofit human
rights organization, and nearly 100 other human rights, HIV/AIDS, prison
rights, and sexual violence organizations, Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. has
decided to stop airing a national television commercial that makes light
of rape in prison.
The commercial, created by Young & Rubicam and called Captive Audience,
aired during youth-oriented programming on MTV, UPN, FOX, and the WB. In
the ad, a 7UP spokesperson hands out cans of 7UP to prisoners. When he
accidentally drops a can, he quips that he won’t pick it up, implying
that he would risk being raped if he were to bend down. Later in the ad,
a cell door slams, trapping the spokesperson on a bed with another man
who refuses to take his arm from around him.
Philippa Dworkin, vice president of corporate communications for Dr.
Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., told Lara Stemple, executive director of SPR,
that the ad would be taken off the air in response to the protest.
“This commercial was perpetuating the kind of callousness that allows
sexual abuse to continue in so many prisons virtually unchecked,” said
Stemple. “We’re very glad to hear that 7UP has decided to stop sending
out the message that it’s okay to laugh about rape when it involves
people in prison. No corporation would make jokes about rape outside of
the prison context.”
“We really have listened to them. Their points are very valid and we are
with them on human rights,” Dworkin told a CNSNEWS.com reporter this
week, before the company made the final decision to stop airing the
commercial.
“Nearly 100 organizations spoke out to say that prisoner rape is a
horrific human rights abuse that must be taken seriously,” said Stemple,
“and we’re happy 7UP has listened.”
Men and women in prison are routinely raped and sexually brutalized in
prisons throughout the country, causing serious physical and
psychological injury. Gang rapes can be particularly brutal, leaving
victims viciously beaten, and in rare cases, dead. Long term
consequences for survivors of prisoner rape may include post traumatic
stress disorder, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and suicide.
“Unfortunately, jokes about rape in prison have become alarmingly
common,” said Stemple, “But sexual violence is occurring in prison right
now, to real people, causing real suffering. Simply put, prisoner rape
isn’t funny.”