The Rock "Win a Wife" protest continues...

Wow, what a week!!

The official letter from the Ukrainian Embassy, progress with the protest, the harassment it brought us, and in exciting news - the competition is on hold!!

We await an official announcement at 5pm NZ time today. Fingers and toes are crossed.
We have had a hell of a job keeping the face book protest page.

I’m going to attach some pictures of the more hilarious comments we have received.
The more aggressive, or threatening posts were deleted in a hurry, and we didn’t think to take a picture until later. We are kicking ourselves, especially in the case of one of the radio employees who got outed and quickly went through and deleted his comments and vanished. Damn it!


First Up - the wonderful letter from the Ukrainian Embassy.




And some great comments on Twitter by Colin Mathura Jeffrey - due to the owner not wanting to be revealed her name has been covered.



Some seriously creepy images from the "endless love" dating agency.



Support from Harvey Norman



Why would people join our page, only to harass and belittle us?
Oh, because the “Win a wife – like it” page encouraged it.
Sick.





And some abuse on our face book page on the topic of Win a Wife.






















Hate speach and other charm on the 'pro win a wife' page.

Updates on Win a Wife.

In an exciting update Boganette NZ recieved a reply from Lufthansa German Airlines

Thank you for your email, and for drawing my attention to the topic of the Rock FM promotion. Firstly, I must ensure you that Lufthansa German Airlines does not support this promotion and have never been contacted by Rock FM at anytime with regards to any form of sponsorship.
I do not personally endorse the theme of this competition, and... have never engaged in any commercial relationship with Rock FM with regards flights on Lufthansa German Airlines. I was alerted last night by another member of the public that our name was associated with this promotion and mentioned in the terms and conditions. I can state that Lufthansa German Airlines is in no way a sponsor or supporter of the promotion, and I had all details connected to Lufthansa German Airlines removed from the website at 7pm last night.
I am told that Rock FM have asked their travel agent to source the applicable airfares to the mentioned destination, and Lufthansa has been provided by the agent as the most economical airline ticket. As you will be aware, Rock FM as a commercial business have the rights to purchase airline tickets from a travel agent for any scheduled services, and I am advised by Rock FM that this has been the means of sourcing the airline ticket, without notification to Lufthansa.
I am legally advised that I am unable to restrict them from purchasing airline tickets from a travel agent.
Please be assured, that we do not support this promotion and as a responsible airline of choice, would not enter into an area of sponsorship that does not comply with our company values. I would ask that you please direct any feedback directly to Rock FM who are the only company connected to this promotion and who will confirm to you that Lufthansa German Airlines is not a sponsor of this promotion.
I trust this will satisfy you that Lufthansa German Airlines has certainly not endorsed this action, and hope that your opinion of our company and travel services has not changed, as the information was not correct concerning comments directed at our airline.

Kind Regards,
Anton Musin

Sales and Marketing Manager
New Zealand and Pacific Islands
Lufthansa German Airlines Swiss International Air Lines Austrian Airlines
Level 10, 36 Kitchener Street
P.O. Box 1427
Auckland, New Zealand
Phone: +64 9 303 5332
Mobile: +64 21 749 611
Fax: +64 9 377 2766
E-Mail: anton.musin@dlh.deSee more

A letter from Harvey Norman.
Hi,

Thanks for your email. Although Harvey Norman is an advertiser on The Rock we are not involved with, nor do we support, the Win a Wife competition in any way.

Thanks

Andrea Robinson

Administration Assistant
Harvey Norman Head Office


WOOOHOOOOOOOO!

Sian has kindly allowed me to post her letter that she has sent out to mediaworks etc today. I have removed the last name for security although she allowed me to use her full name. I have had harrassing emails and dont want her exposed to that rubbish.
Thanks Sian for your support.

Dear all,

I just wanted to share my feelings regarding your "win a wife"
competition. This competition was obviously conceived with little thought
for these women, who find themselves in such difficult circumstances that
they are required to sell themselves as "wives" to men they don't know. By
conducting this competition, the rock is supporting this industry. And
frankly this industry is not far off human trafficking.

Consider how you would feel about this situation, if your sister,
daughter, or other female relative was one of these so called "wives". It
may appear that these woman have chosen to place themselves in this
situation, and therefore it is ok, but unfortunately it is not. It is more
than likely that these women have somehow been forced into this situation.
They may have no other way of supporting themselves. They may have no
family, and no job opportunities. They may be desperate to escape
difficult circumstances in their home country.

Also consider what kind of relationships they will have with a man who has
essentially "purchased" them. I highly doubt these relationships will be
successful. It is more than likely that these women will be taken further
advantage of. I can't understand what kind of man would want to start a
relationship like this. I highly doubt it will be the kind of man who
respects women, and fosters equality.

Kind Regards,

Sian

Sian recieved a response from the Rock - interesting that they havent responded to any of the "published feminazi" emails.
I cannot WAIT to see a response that Sian alluded to being "tounge in cheek" and from her partner.

Hi Sian,

Thank you for your email. Since you are obviously not a Rock listener and
probably haven't had time to listen to our radio station to hear the tone
behind this competition, I'd like to explain it to you further.

The Rock is a nationwide radio station targeting a predominately male
audience. The brand ethos for The Rock is: 'not to take life too
seriously'. We aim to create irreverent promotions and content that
sometimes may push the boundaries. As you may appreciate what may be deemed
acceptable for some, may not be for others. Our latest promotion 'Win A
Wife' is very much a tongue in cheek example of this.

We are giving away the chance for a New Zealand listener to travel to the
Ukraine in the hope of finding a connection with a female they have been
suitably matched up through an international match matching dating service.
The overall prize is trip to the Ukraine along with the opportunity to meet
the best suited candidate. The Rock's involvement ends here.

If the couple form a connection, fall in love and at a later date decide to
get married, that is great! The title of the promotion "Win a Wife'
is very much an irreverent spin on what essentially is a radio version of a
dating service.

We appreciate your comments and hope this clears up the mis-leading media
portrayal of the competition.

Kind regards,


KRISTY CRAIG | MARKETING MANAGER | THE ROCK | DDI +64 9 375 7162 | 021
965 220

**********************************************************************

Dear Kristy,

Thank you for your email. Since you obviously don't know much about me,
and only have time to make patronising assumptions, I'd like to explain it
to you further.

I am a young woman, in my early 20's. I work on the other side of Auckland
to where I live, and so listen to the radio everyday while I drive. You
may be surprised that until yesterday I often listened to the Rock. I
actually first heard about the competition on the radio. I would like to
take this chance to apologise for listening to the Rock, I now realise
that being female the Rock is not intended for me. Oops, my bad, I thought
the Rock was aimed at people who like rock music! I suppose I should now
begin listening to a station that caters to my feminine needs.

Anyway, my personal brand ethos is: 'attempt to make the world a better
place'. I know its a bit happy clappy, but its the way I roll (but not
rock!). I am actually all for tongue in cheek, but when real people are
being marginalised, its time to come up with a new gimic.

If you are, as you say, giving a Rock listener the chance to travel to the
Ukraine to go on a date, then you should market the competition as such.
Because marketing women as a commodity is not a joke, no matter how well
it fits with your brand ethos.

I appreciate your comments and hope this clears up the misleading
mediaworks portrayal of myself.

Kind Regards,

Sian.

p.s. my panties are in a twist and it is giving me a wedgie.

******************************************************************

Nick's reply can be found HERE and is well worth the read - I got cornflakes up my nose reading it over breakfast.

*******************************************************************
BAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh Sian and Nick have just made my day - comedy gold!!!
*******************************************************************
GrabOne distance themselves from the promotion.
Jen Corbett said...
Hi there,
GrabOne has absolutely no association with this promotion.
Thanks,
Jen

But they continue to advertise on the edge website, supporting the radiostation with their advertising dollars.

ASB
Hi,
ASB has absolutely no association with the above mentioned promotion, nor is our media targeted to support the promotion.
Regards
James Townend

As of Friday Feb 11th, I have not seen any ads for ASB on the Rock website.
You are my HEROS!!!
I am opening a savings account with you!!

An email is recieved from Nataliya Poshyvaylo-Towler the Chairwomen of the Ukrainian Association of New Zealand

"Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We are in the process of logging an official complaint with radio Rock regarding this shameful promotion stunt .
Kind regards,
Nataliya Poshyvaylo-Towler
Chairwomen
Ukrainian Association of New Zealand"

As pointed out by Camilla, there is also the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
They stated that no complaints had been made yet.
this is because You can refer your complaint to the BSA if:

•You made a formal complaint to the broadcaster, and you have received a decision from the broadcaster; or
•It has been more than 20 working days since you lodged your complaint, and you have not received a decision from the broadcaster.

It hasnt been 20 days yet and we havent heard from the broadcaster yet.
So them not having any complaints means stuff all.


Our voices are making a difference, and momentum is gaining.
Please keep up the good work, and I will update this as things happen.
To support via Facebook go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Rocks-Win-a-Wife-campaign/125406027531398

ScubanurseNZ WIN A WIFE!!!

It's actually going to happen. And oh boy are there going to be some people with their panties in a twist over this one.

Are you sick of pushy, feminist, Kiwi gals with no respect for men?
Think you want to meet a nice girl who you know hasn’t been touched by another man? Are you sick of the fiancée claiming headache stasis to avoid you?
What if we could help you find a girlfriend who hasn’t opened her legs for every man on the street?

ScubanurseNZ is giving away a wife!

But we're not going to give this opportunity to just anybody ... to weed out the no-hopers and time-wasters, there is a process. If you're interested in holy matrimony with a potentially hot foreign chick, write into our comments section on this post, and in less 30 words tell us why you should be the winner. If we pick you, you'll be heading to Burkina Faso in Africa with 12 nights' accommodation with $2000 spending money to meet the lucky lady!


No, you are not participating in the circumcision.
Yes, in many areas the young women WANT the procedure done to help them catch a good man.
If you are a good man, this could be your lucky day!
If that lady takes a shine to you, your whole world could change.

This trip of a lifetime includes
(a) To choose one lady from those registered to have their circumcision in the month of March, to talk with and view the procedure.
(b) Visa application for a temporary visit to Burkina Faso.
(c) Return flights from Akl, Wgtn or Chch to Ouagadougou via Dubai & Accra flying Lufthansa Airlines departing March 23 and arriving home April 7.
(d) $2,000 NZD spending money.
(e) 12 nights’ accommodation in Zaporozhe (excluding breakfast).
(f) Extra’s include a food and beverage welcome pack on arrival, first day breakfast, a bunch of Roses for the lady on their first meeting, interpreters for the first meeting, 3 hour safari with the lady, taxi’s to and from the safari, photographer on the safari.



Terms and Conditions
1.ScubanurseNZ’s WIN A WIFE promotion gives the entrant the chance to win a trip to Burkina Faso to meet women who are interested in marriage to New Zealand men.
2. The promotion period begins on Monday 7 February and closes on Monday 28 February at 9am, 2011.
3. The prize will be judged and winner confirmed on Monday 28 February by phone. The Judges will be nominated by ScubanurseNZ.
4. Entry is via ScubanurseNZ website and entrants must submit a photo of themselves and follow the application process. All photos will be cropped to be upper torso and head only.
5. Photos and application forms will be moderated by ScubanurseNZ and will only be uploaded for entry to the competition if deemed suitable by the ScubanurseNZ appointed judge. No pornographic photos will be accepted.
6.The 5 finalists will be subjected to character assessment from friends and family and psychometric testing and suitability for marriage testing by a psychologist appointed by ScubanurseNZ. Viewers will vote online at the website for who they would like to win the competition.
7. The prize does not include visa application or travel for the Burkina Faso woman to come to New Zealand, this is the responsibility of the winner.
8. The winner will be chosen based on their total combined final score. The final score is composed from the total number of online votes.
9. The winner must be able to take the trip on the dates and times specified, if not it is forfeit.
10. Participants must be over the age of 18, have a current passport, and must not have any legal reasons preventing them from leaving New Zealand or entering Africa. Participants who are already married will be disqualified.
11. Any extra’s not specified in the prize details above are the responsibility of the winner.
12. This is a hoax and there is nothing to win. Please do not apply.
13. The winner takes the prize entirely at his/her own risk and indemnifies ScubanurseNZ in respect of any claim for any accident, injury, loss of life or failure to find love that may occur in connection with the prize. The Winner is responsible for all insurance, tax or other costs that may be associated with the prize. We suggest travel insurance.
16. To the fullest extent permitted by law ScubanurseNZ will not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including but not limited to direct or consequential loss) or for personal injury as a result of winning the prize.

The first question on the board below...
Why would you trivialise the horrific, disturbing and downright evil procedure of FGM by comparing it with a radio promotion which essentially wins somebody a date in the Ukraine?
If anything it serves to highlight that there are far more serious things in the world (happening to 6,000 girls a day no less) than a few shock jocks.


I couldn’t have gotten a better question if I had requested it.
You are right to ask.
Because this IS offensive.
And it ISNT funny.
And it does exploit young women in the most horrific way.

So what is the difference between this and the Radio competition?

The ONLY difference is that we start this competition two steps before the time that the radio station does.
The radio station is offering the chance to win a date with a woman who is interested in marrying a Kiwi man. So am I.
There is no overt coercion in either competition.

In both competitions the woman chooses the marriage.

My competition terms and conditions are the EXACT same as the radio station ones.

So what’s your big issue?

Oh – FGM?
Well yes, that is a really objectionable activity.
It leaves women hurt and scarred, and vulnerable.
Many women still want this to be done because due to culteral norms that would horrify us, without it they are unable to get a ‘good’ husband.
But I agree, the practice is barbaric and cruel, and yet another way of controlling women to meet men’s needs.

Let’s just take a little look at the Ukrainian women involved with the “foreign bride” sites.

This is a woman who is opening herself up to marriage to a foreign stranger which will mean leaving the country, language, food and people she is familiar with.
Why would she do this?
How bad would your life have to be for you to do this?
Because this woman IS you.
She isn’t stupid, she isn’t an infant, she isn’t anything different to us.
Something must have happened for her to be this desperate to get out and away from the Ukraine...

Perhaps finances are rough and the risk of having sex with a stranger husband seems less risky than actual prostitution.

Perhaps their family owes the gangs/money lenders money and she can pay that debt off by participating in this venture.

Between 1991 and 1998, 500,000 Ukrainian women had been trafficked to the West, those who manage to escape traffickers or are frightened of following may take this as the “better” option.

By 1995, due to the collapse of the Ukrainian economy the shadow (illegal business) economy accounted for 50 percent of the GDP The result has been a criminalization of the economy in general and expansion of organized criminal networks. Jobs are scarce for anyone, let alone women.

According to the International Organization for Migration (an American organisation), all mail-order-bride agencies with women from the republics of the former Soviet Union are under the control of organized crime networks. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/203275.pdf

Starting to get a picture?

So at some point in most of these women’s lives they have been hurt, or are at risk of being hurt in the future.
The only difference between my competition and the radio’s is that they don’t show the woman being hurt; they just wait until they are vulnerable enough to be preyed upon.

To support this please go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Rocks-Win-a-Wife-campaign/125406027531398

Win a wife? WTF?

Recently the NZ radio station "the rock fm" started their "win a wife" competition.
The whole thing has horrified me on so many levels I have chosen to write the letter below to the station and also letters to their key advertisers.


Dear promotions and marketing team at the Rock FM.

I am writing with my concerns about your Promo - Win a wife.

I realize that you are expecting me to get my “Panties in a bunch” as quoted on your promo page, and regret having to fulfill your expectations.

I am going to assume that you are so ignorant to women’s safety and health issues internationally that Im going to have to start with the basics.

Your competitions should be targeting your ideal audience.
You have removed all straight women, all married men, all engaged men, most men in a long term relationship, all men with a sense of honor with regards to women’s rights.
What’s left?
What a wonderful target audience you have there!

Did you do your research on companies or is this paid for by the company you are pimping out on the front page of the promo?I’d love to know how you chose the company, by all means do enlighten us...



It is all well and good to send kiwi men over there to pick out a wife and in the scenario you are most likely to try and put forward, the women are all brilliant, happy, yet lonely ladies, who just want a man. Not so desperate for escape from a destitute life that they would marry a stranger.
And even if that IS the case I would like to know what information about the Man you are sending is given to the woman he is matched with?
Criminal history? Spousal abuse history? Possible STDs or major transmittable health issues such as hepatitis?
Historically, IMBs have declined to provide any information about their male clients to the women with whom they seek to match them; and, in fact, this one-sidedness has been a selling point.
A New York based advocacy group called Equality Now demonstrated it in stark terms in 1999, when they sent a blanket email inquiry to dozens of IMBs, claiming to be from a physician who had assaulted two ex-wives; his email asked whether this history would be an problem.
Out of sixty-six responses, only three IMBs turned him down, and only two others expressed serious reservations about taking him on as a client; a few actually praised him and commiserated regarding the occasional need for violence when it comes to keeping women in line.
Among the responses:

“Having also been accused of assault by western women, who are usually the instigators of domestic violence I can tell you: A) don't let it bother you and B) most Thais avoid confrontation, Buddhist philosophy, so they are not likely to start something that may end in violence.” (www.loveasia.com)

“Thank you for your open and honest letter. I believe we all have skeletons in the closet and do not let them fall out when we meet someone. When I look into my past it also does not look too rosy. In heated arguments we all say and do things we did not mean, it does not make us a bad person. What I am trying to say is, let the ladies get to know the real you.” (www.russianwives.com)

“We are an agency and our purpose is to try to help people meet each other. We never refuse any clients that come to us with the exception of incarcerated people. So the answer is yes we will do our very best to help you, as we do for everybody else, but you should try to work on these problem you have for your own benefit and the benefit of your future wife.” (www.missright.com)

Do you have any idea of the negative history of ‘Mail order Brides’?
In 2000, the killing of a twenty-year-old woman from Kyrgyzstan named Anastasia King, whose husband turned out not only to have had a restraining order against him from a previous mail-order bride but to be seeking a new, third wife through an IMB.

In 1995, of a Filipina named Susana Blackwell, eight months pregnant, whose husband gunned her down outside a Seattle courtroom on the last day of divorce proceedings.

In 2003, of a twenty-six-year-old Ukrainian named Alla Barney, whose husband stabbed her to death in front of their young son's day-care facility

I realise that if I was to be callous that in the scope of abuses against women these cases are a drop in the can.
Nothing really if you are just looking at the statistics.

The Problem is that SOMEONE WAS PAID TO ALLOW THESE KILLERS ACCESS TO THESE WOMEN.
Domestic violence and abuse is never ok.
To profit, knowing full well that you are doing nothing to prevent possible future cases is downright reprehensible.

Shame on you.




If you would also like to submit your concerns the contact details are below.
Advertisers will be added to as time goes on.

paige@therock.net.nz – promo and sponsorship
kristy@therock.net.nz - marketing
paul@mediaworks.co.nz – sales

Advertisers:

Unitec - media@unitec.ac.nz
Best foods, I wrote a note on their website
Living Social website - help@livingsocial.com
Trademe jobs - mediaenquiries@trademe.co.nz
Eye lasik - admin@aucklandeye.co.nz
Issacs cider - LNIsales@lion-nathan.co.nz
Ashley and martin hair centre - Auckland@ashleyandmartin.co.nz
Caltex – still seeking contact details.
Air New Zealand American Express Platinum card - still seeking contact details.

Audi New Zealand - Has written in to say they are not involved in the promo but continue to have ads on the same page as the Win A Wife page http://yfrog.com/h4x83oikj

Grab One, Harvey Norman and Go rentals have distanced themselves, but are continuing to advertise either on their website or radio station.




To support go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Rocks-Win-a-Wife-campaign/125406027531398