Ipswich billboard removed after Suffolk Rape Crisis concerns

A billboard advert that was placed on a busy roundabout in Ipswich has been removed, after concerns it perpetuated 'the culture of rape'.

Essex-based flooring company, Garage Floors Direct and Billboard Media were sent a letter from Suffolk Rape Crisis over an advert which showed a picture of a 'sexualised woman in a tiny dress and high heels' next to the words 'It's so easy to lay'.

Suffolk Rape Crisis questioned the company as to whether the advert implied the woman was easy to lay, or whether the 'floor was so easy to lay, even a woman could do it.'

The letter goes on to state that the advert played into 'archaic stereotypes that perpetuate the culture of rape'.

The advert, which was placed next to an advert for Wyvernwood, a theme park in Colchester and Ipswich School, was situated on the Bury Road roundabout in the northwest of the town.

The advert (right) on display at the roundabout (Image: Suffolk Rape Crisis)

The letter also states: 'Adverts like yours' affect how women feel about themselves, how women are treated by the police and the justice system and by wider society.

'Your advert supports the idea that women's bodies are commodities to be used.'

The billboard advertisement has since been taken down, much to the delight of the Suffolk charity.

A trustee for Suffolk Rape Crisis said: "We're really please that it's been taken down so swiftly.

"The fact that thousands of people have driven past it, women, men, children, police, councillors, everyone would have driven past it and not raised it is alarming in itself because it means that they've accepted it, which means it's still prevalent in 2023 when that sort of thing belongs firmly in the past.

"It's not just Garage Floors Direct who are at fault, there's Billboard Media, there's those that printed it, those that designed it, no one along that chain flagged it, which is also totally worrying."

A Garage Floors Direct spokesperson said: "We didn't intend to cause any offence, and the billboard was removed as quickly as humanly possible."