PHILLIPINES: 6-year-old boy 'traumatised' after being mocked on TV

[29 March 2011] - A game show in the Philippines has come under fire after one of its young contestants was reduced to tears by jeers and laughter from the audience. 

Jan-Jan, who is just six years old, was given 10,000 pesos (£144) for his attempts to sing and dance, which earned him mocking abuse from the audience on the programme Willing Willie.

His aunt reportedly approved his appearance, however, some are saying the performance amounts to child abuse and the host, Willie Revillame, and TV station TV5 have been hit with a deluge of criticism.

Corazon Soliman, social welfare minister, said: 'Putting pressure on children to do acts such as mimicking adult sexy dances, in exchange for a certain amount of money, and at the expense of being laughed at and ridiculed by hundreds of people, clearly traumatises the child.'

She branded the incident a 'clear form of child abuse'.

An investigation has been started by the Commission on Human Rights and the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. Meanwhile, an apology has been issued by TV5 on behalf of Revillame

The station said it recognised some viewers may have considered the broadcast to be 'offensive or in bad taste', but maintained he was not crying because he was in distress.

 

Further Information:

pdf: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/859406-tearful-boy-6-traumatised-after-being...

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