Perth shopping mall under fire over ‘exposed genitals’ Honey Birdette ad

A shopping centre has drawn complaints over “porn”-related ad images at one of its stores while it hosts kids’ holiday activities.

A Perth shopping centre has come under fire for hosting a kids’ activity near a racy lingerie store and its display of “porn-themed” images.

The Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City has been hosting winter school holiday activities, including ice skating and face painting.

But activist group Collective Shout said children attending the advertised “winter wonderland”-themed activities as well as those attending the mall were being exposed to sexualised and bondage-themed advertising images of women at the Playboy-owned Honey Birdette store.

“This is what kids will see when they go to Lendlease Lakeside Joondalup shopping centre for school holiday events,” the group said on its Facebook page.

“How many kids will have to walk past these pornified and degrading representations of women to attend their school holiday activity?

“We’ve censored this image for you, but Honey Birdette is showing kids the uncensored version, featuring women’s exposed genitals – and Lakeside Joondalup is allowing it.”

The Honey Birdette advertising imagery that has drawn controversy. Picture: Collective Shout

The shopping centre’s Facebook page drew complaints about the images.

“No one likes to explain to kids why a ladies genitals are falling out of her clothes and all over the shop window,” one poster wrote.

Another woman added: “By allowing this in your shopping centre you are exposing thousands of children to pornified imagery every day. It’s not okay.”

Collective Shout campaigns manager Caitlin Roper said the centre’s Surge Fitness was also hosting kids’ fitness classes just 30 metres from the lingerie store.

“Lakeside Joondalup is both facilitating and profiting from the sexual objectification of women, and kids’ exposure to porn-inspired imagery. We believe the rights of children should take precedence over profits,” she said.

Ms Roper said Ad Standards Australia had upheld more than 60 complaints against Honey Birdette ads, finding them too graphic for an audience that included children.

But there were no penalties for advertisers who breached the rules, she said.

“Advertisers can effectively do what they like and continually breach the code of ethics,” she said.

A Honey Birdette shopfront in Victoria.

Responding to the complaints, the shopping centre said the kids’ holiday activities, being hosted by an independent client, were about 50 metres from the lingerie store.

They could be accessed without having to pass the Honey Birdette store, the centre said.

However, one user asked about other children walking through the centre who would also be “exposed to pornified, blown up women’s genitals on display”.

The centre directed customers to lodge their complaints with Australia’s advertising regulator.

“While we understand your concern with these images, retail leases permit tenants to display any advertising within their tenancy as long as it is in accordance with both national and state laws along with industry standards,” the shopping centre replied on its Facebook page.

Lakeside Joondalup Centre manager Gemma Hannigan said it took customer feedback seriously when it came to advertising in its centres and always passed it onto retailers.

“All advertising is governed by the Ad Standards, which can request the removal of advertising found in breach of the standards, and we continue to be guided by the regulator,” she said.

“We encourage customers who are concerned about advertising to direct complaints to Ad Standards.

“We’ll continue to monitor customer and retailer feedback and adhere to any determinations made by Ad Standards.”

Honey Birdette ads have previously been banned for being ‘highly pornographic’.