Facebook NSPCC Campaign – An insult to victims?
Just a quick post in response to the recent Facebook NSPCC campaign.
It goes something like this:
“Change your profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood and invite your friends to do the same. Until Monday (Dec 6) there should be no human faces on Facebook, but an invasion of memories. This is a campaign to stop violence against children.”
Thousands of people are changing their profile pictures and that’s brilliant as its raising awareness of the NSPCC and the work they do to help vulnerable children.
However, just changing a profile picture isn’t enough folks. What good is raising awareness if no real donations are made. And besides, nearly 98% or more of Facebook users already know about the NSPCC and what they do.
It’s nice to see people getting involved in changing their Facebook profile pictures, but please realise that having a cartoon character as your profile picture doesn’t really help a child who is being abused or left for dead.
Personally I think putting up a picture without taking any kind of real action is an insult to victims of child abuse. It’s insensitive to remind yourself of your own happy childhood memories when the kids this campaign is meant for don’t have any good memories. Those kids are depressed, lonely and suffering without a voice.
Imagine how an actual victim of child abuse feels when they see so many people reminiscing their own “good” memories, in their [victims] name!
The intention may be noble but I don’t think this was thought out properly. And many people are only following the crowd and doing what their friends are doing without actually believing or understanding what they are supporting.
Just so everyone knows, this campaign did not originate from the NSPCC nor is it an official fundraising campaign of any kind.
This particular “campaign” doesn’t even specify what charity its for. It merely states “This is a campaign to stop violence against children.” Somewhere along the way other people must have just associated it with NSPCC and now everybody is just copying and pasting onto their profiles.
And since it’s not an actual ‘Fundraising’ campaign, I don’t see how it “Stops violence against children”
The vast majority of people doing this are being misled into thinking they are helping children by putting up a cartoon on their profiles. And only until the 6th Dec? Whats the significance of that date? And why doesn’t this group state how it’s helping? It just tells people to change their profile pictures and nothing else.
If you want to make a real difference please make a donation by going to the NSPCC website.
You can set up a regular payment of just £2 a month or make a one-off donation. Better still, raise funds yourself by organising an event or an online sponsorship page. The NSPCC recommends Virgin Money Giving or JustGiving.
Although I’m sure the NSPCC appreciate the attention, they will be even more grateful if they received actual donations.
If you haven’t already done so, please join their Facebook fan page and show even more support: www.facebook.com/nspcc.
Here is list of other child protection and welfare organisations in the UK:
Children’s Society
www.childrenssociety.org.uk
National Children’s Bureau (NCB)
www.ncb.org.uk
Action For Children
www.actionforchildren.org.uk
Barnardos
www.barnardos.org.uk
Unicef
www.unicef.org.uk
Save the Children UK
www.savethechildren.org.uk
Children 1st (Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children)
www.children1st.org.uk
Plant Yng Nghymru (Children in Wales)
www.childreninwales.org.uk
Rainbow Trust
www.rainbowtrust.org.uk
Round Table Childrens Wish
www.rtcw.org
If you know of any organisations that help children in any way, please let me know and I’ll add them to this list.
chishe says
This is something that everyone can help and make a little difference. I also changed my photo to promote the cause.
Thomas Churchwell says
Lisa. What are you doing now to help those who are getting hurt now? Sure there is nothing I can do to help your past nor can you help mine. But what about the child who is beaten today? You think your cartoon is helping? Who do you think your cartoon stopped? Name the guy who didn’t beat his child today cause you sat on your couch and changed your avatar. It didn’t so go do something face to face and get off the couch
Lisa says
Firstly, I am one of those people who changed my picture on Facebook for the NSPCC…..And when I read your note, especially the part where you say just changing your picture is an insult to the victim, and that it is insensitive to remind ourselves of our happy childhood when others are suffering….Wow, YOU insult ME! I am one of those children that you never helped, I didn’t have a happy childhood, I was beaten and abused for 17 yrs of my life, and you know what, YOU NEVER HELPED ME, so do not sit at your desk typing things like that to people, because it is bang out of order, and I can only imagine the words come from someone who has had a happy life, and doesn’t understand for one single minute what being abused is like. What you said is disgusting, to insult the people who are trying to help, in whatever way they can? What gives you that right? Many people can’t afford to donate at the moment, many people are struggling to keep a roof over their heads as it is, so stop trying to guilt trip people.
Have you ever thought that you might get more help from people if you were nice????
Wow, you have completely wound me up!
Jay says
@ Lisa
I think you misunderstood my comments.
If you read the post carefully you will realise that I’m not against anyone changing their profile pictures. I’m totally behind it if it raises awareness. But in the grand scheme of things, these kids don’t need to be spoken about, they need real help, real action. A cartoon picture isn’t really helping anyone.
What I’m trying to get across is that as well as putting up a cartoon picture, people should make a donation alongside it to make a real difference.
So far I’ve found 5 Facebook pages set up urging people to change their pics. Here’s how many fans each one has:
1) 88,000+ fans
2) 31,000+ fans
3) 19,000+ fans
4) 14,000+ fans
5) 13,000+ fans
Thats a potential total of 165,000+ fans all changing their profile pictures. Do you honestly believe that 165 thousand people can’t afford to donate just £2 each?
If every one of those people made a one-off donation of just £2 each, that will raise £330,000. Imagine how much of a difference that will make for vulnerable children.
How many times are people wasting £2 here and there on random stuff they don’t need or even remember?
And I stand by my comment about it being insulting to those who are suffering as we speak. This campaign is supposed to “help stop violence against children”
Please explain to me how a cartoon picture and everyone remembering “their” happy moments will stop a child from getting beaten?
How do you think a real victim of abuse will feel if you went up to them and said, “hey kid, don’t worry, everything will be ok because me and my friends put up a picture of Goofy on our Facebook profiles!”
or
“None of us can actually take you away from the violence or donate just £2 because we spent it on a milkshake from Starbucks, but hey, look on the bright side, I’ve got Micky Mouse on my Facebook profile!”
Bottom line is, raising awareness is all well and good, but without following through with real action, it’s pointless. Thats what this post is about.
And finally,
It’s wrong of you to assume that I had a happy life. You have no idea what kind of life I had or have now.
And I may not have helped you directly, but if you ever approached a childrens charity for help, chances are, my regular ongoing donations to various childrens charities have made their way to helping you and so many others who were and still are in a similar or worse situation than yours.
I didn’t write this post to offend anyone or make anyone feel guilty. If it does, then maybe they have something to feel guilty about?
Preventing cruelty against children is something close to my heart. I’ve supported childrens charities ever since I started working, thats over 18yrs now. This post is just like the cartoon picture campaign, to raise awareness and urge people to take real action.
By all means continue to do whatever you feel is right to help, but also try, if you can, to make a donation to any of the childrens charities.
A £2 donation won’t do you and me any harm, but it may help save a childs life.