Victims' Groups Respond to WODR
Organizations throughout the country have united together, forming coalitions, to advocate victim's rights. Even after a loved one has passed away, the fight to educate, protect, and support the survivors of victims continues. In order to be pro-active in combating crime, victim's rights groups have taken a stand to educate the general public on criminal justice issues that potentially affect the lives of everyone.
The "We, On Death Row" issue, presented by United Colors of Benetton, has created a great deal of unrest among such victim's rights groups. Advocates of victim's rights protest that Benetton, in their attempt to address the controversial issue of capital punishment, have glorified the act of murdering innocent people. Moreover, victim's rights groups claim that through Benetton's marketing strategy the victims have been forgotten and the attention redirected toward humanizing the perpetrators. Benetton has ignored the most important element of their anti-capital punishment campaign--the victims and their survivors.
The national victim's rights organization, Parents of Murdered Children, Inc. (POMC), have been on the forefront of the fight against Benetton's "We, On Death Row" campaign. POMC's primary goal is to remind society of the heinous crimes the inmates have committed, and the lives they have taken. POMC is asking society to remember the victims! In doing so, POMC is seeking support by protesting to any company that features the Benetton ads. Aside from publicly announcing their discontentment with Benetton's ads throughout the media, POMC has provided links on their web site of magazine publications and department stores who are featuring Benetton in hopes that society will voice their opinion and protest to these companies. POMC also provides links to state representatives who are eager to hear society's concerns. For more information regarding POMC visit their web site at: http://www.pomc.com/
The following are additional sources of information representing the advocacy of victim's rights groups against Benetton's campaign.
"Death Row Fashion Ads Spark Outrage: Survivors Say Inmates Humanized at Victims' Expense"
Survivors of the victims who were murdered by death row models speak out against Benetton's anti-capital punishment campaign. According to sources on this web site, Benetton's ads are humanizing the killers by neglecting to remember the crimes they committed and the lives they took.
http://www.apbnews.com/cjsystem/findingjustice/2000/01/10/ads0110_01.html
VIDEO: "Victim's Groups Protest Benetton Ads: Emotions Run High Over Death Row Clothing Campaign"
Benetton's recent advertising campaign reopens wounds of parents whose children were killed by the featured death row inmates.
http://www.apbnews.com/cjsystem/justicenews/2000/02/16/benetton0216_01.html
"Victims' Parents Blast Benetton Death Row Ads: Murdered Children Remembered at New York Protest"
http://www.apbnews.com/cjsystem/justicenews/2000/02/16/benetton0216_01.html
"The United Killers of Benetton"
This pro death penalty web site focuses on humanizing the victims who were killed by Benetton's death row inmates. A brief summary describing the killings of at least 45 innocent victims by the 26 Benetton killers is provided