CHENNAI: Under fire over its alleged role in stopping the conduct of Jallikattu, animal rights organisation, PETA, is now facing criticism that it is promoting pornography and exploiting children and youth using nudity.
PETA’s campaign strategy has always included photographs - mostly celebrities - that have a shock value, either partial nudity or blood and gore. For example, one advertisement by PETA shows a nude celebrity with her body parts labelled. The caption reads, “All animals have the same parts. Have a heart. Try vegetarian.”
While being successful, this has now given rise to complaint from a child rights activist, who alleged that Google searches on PETA returned nudity that is not appropriate for children.
According to POCSO Act, a person, with sexual intent, makes gesture or exhibits any object or part of the body with the intention that the gesture or object or part of body be seen by the child, is guilty of sexual harassment.
Raising the issue in a complaint with Chennai police Commissioner, child right activist Emi demanded that legal action be taken against the organisation under POCSO and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, and that all nude images be removed by PETA immediately.
“They also have double standards as most of the people they use in their advertisements wear leather, eat meat and do not know much about animals,” the activist alleged.