The owner of a fish and chip shop has hit back at ‘abusive’ anti-domestic violence campaigners who criticised her for using the name The Battered Wife.
Ex-police officer Carolyn Kerr owns the shop in Wangan, a small town in far north Queensland, which carries the slogan ‘The only battering anyone need know’ on its window.
Ms Kerr has defended her business from critics, saying she is raising awareness of domestic violence by using the name.
The owner of a fish and chip shop has hit back at ‘abusive’ anti-domestic violence campaigners who criticised her for using the name The Battered Wife
Ex-police officer Carolyn Kerr owns the shop in Wangan, a small town in far north Queensland, which carries the slogan ‘The only battering anyone need know’ on its window
Ms Kerr has defended her business from critics, saying she is raising awareness of domestic violence
‘Originally it was suggested to me as a little bit of a joke, but it seemed like an interesting option with a bit of spark, something that could provoke questions, could provoke curiosity, but also the play on words for the shop itself, being a fish and chip shop,’ she told The Today Show.
‘I knew through my history there’s a lot of things wrong with the system so to create such a controversial thing especially in today’s sensitive world… I’m surprised it’s got so much attention at all, that it’s taken 15 months really.’
Ms Kerr said in her former job she had dealt with the effects of domestic violence firsthand, and it was not something she condoned.
‘There’s a lot of beautiful, intelligent women out there in really bad situations, and to assume that I was making light of the subject, that I was promoting it… the way that it’s been misconstrued it’s actually quite offensive.’
A domestic violence survivor left a ‘scathing’ review on The Battered Wife’s Facebook page
The shopowner said she has been subjected to threats and abuse since a photo of her business was shared ‘like wildfire’ on social media.
She refused to cave to the pressure to change the shop’s name.
‘It’s a fish and chip shop first and foremost, and I make good batter, and I’m married to my business … (domestic violence) is a serious problem in our society and it needs help, no-one seems to be standing up for it, and this is my little way of digging my heels in and saying enough is enough.’
The business is popular with locals but now its name has sparked a fierce social media row, with some users attacking the owner and encouraging others to do the same.
The storm started when one women left a scathing review on The Battered Wife’s Facebook page and urged others to do the same.
‘Shameful owners naming this mediocre shop The Battered Wife,’ the review began.
’67 women, 18 children murdered this year due to male violence and you think this is humorous’.
The owner responded in a lengthy post pointing to the irony of defending domestic violence victims while abusing her online.
‘What I don’t understand is why people, who say they are passionately against domestic violence, so freely and unashamedly abuse and attack me on social media because of the name of my shop,’ the woman wrote.
The owner of the store decided to respond to the criticisms with a lengthy Facebook post. The post was attached to a close-up image of the woman’s bruised and swollen eye
The woman said she was forced to close the store on Tuesday evening to ensure the safety of her junior team, following ‘relentless prank calls/yukky messages and all of the terrible reviews’
‘I batter fish, I’m married to my business and I want to make a difference…! Obviously it got your attention!’
The post was attached to a close-up image of the woman’s bruised and swollen eye.
‘I recently got this black eye for stepping over the line and protecting a beautiful, intelligent, woman in a bad situation. How many of you can honestly say that you have stood up, no matter the cost??’ the businesswoman wrote.
She added that she was forced to close the store on Tuesday evening to ensure the safety of her junior team, following ‘relentless prank calls/yukky messages and all of the terrible reviews’.
Located in Wagan, Queensland, the local takeaway store specialises in Australian and New Zealand wild caught cooked seafood, house made burgers, salads and takeaway items
The Battered Wife Facebook page has been flooded with with a mixture of positive and negative reviews.
‘Trying to destroy someone’s lively hood because you don’t agree with their business name is f**king disgusting. Awesome food. Awesome service 10/10,’ one supporter wrote with a five-star rating.
Another wrote: ‘5 stars for delicious fish and chips. Good to see Australian family businesses doing so well in 2018’s PC culture.’
The Battered Wife Facebook page has been flooded with with a mixture of positive and negative reviews
‘Trying to destroy someone’s lively hood because you don’t agree with their business name is f**king disgusting. Awesome food. Awesome service 10/10,’ one supporter wrote with a five-star rating
Other people left negative reviews for the takeaway shop, drawing attention to the choice of name.
‘The name is utterly appalling and tasteless. It demonstrates a complete disregard for DV survivors. It’s not funny,’ a critic wrote on the page.
‘The owners of this business think domestic violence is funny. They think violence against women is funny. Maybe they should attend the funerals of murdered women and kids and see how funny being a battered wife really is,’ wrote another.
Other people left negative reviews for the takeaway shop, drawing attention to the choice of name