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AIBU?

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Ear piercing without consent at Meadowhall in Sheffield (might be triggering)

335 replies

PoetryLaser · 20/10/2021 09:53

I'm amazed that I can't find another thread on this – and I know I'm not being unreasonable to find this video incredibly upsetting. Poor child, perhaps six or seven being pinned to the floor while having her ears pierced in a jewellery store at the Meadowhall in Sheffield, screaming her head off saying "no no no".
Should ear piercing be banned for say under 12s, until they're old enough to consent?
Warning - the video is very distressing to watch: twitter.com/mrscjos/status/1450020437744885761?s=10

OP posts:
AutumnLeafy · 20/10/2021 10:09

@Clocktopus and that's a great example of how it should be done.

Looks like from twitter the police have been notified.

SmellyOldOwls · 20/10/2021 10:09

I'm not one for parent shaming usually but what the fuck kind of mother puts her child through that for ear piercings?! They don't even look nice on kids, I haven't seen a child with pierced ears in years (come to think of it almost none of the adults I know wear earrings either)

Brollywasntneededafterall · 20/10/2021 10:10

My exh had my pre teen ds's hair cut against his wishes... He was traumatised... Can't imagine what that girl now feels about the person who took them..
I hope school get involved and report her to ss.

ABCeasyasdohrayme · 20/10/2021 10:10

That's absolutely disgusting. Poor kid.

Its not fair to ask why people didn't intervene though. The girls mother and grandmother were both there and gave their consent for a legal procedure to be done. If the person piercing decided to go ahead with it what was a random passer by supposed to do?

I'm glad someone filmed it though, hopefully this can be used to help change the law.

Clocktopus · 20/10/2021 10:11

Who filmed it?

A 14yo girl so she probably didn't feel able to intervene.

FinishWhatWeStarted · 20/10/2021 10:11

On Twitter I've just seen Claire's replying that it's not one of their shops? I don't want to see the video though

AutumnLeafy · 20/10/2021 10:12

@FinishWhatWeStarted

On Twitter I've just seen Claire's replying that it's not one of their shops? I don't want to see the video though
It's not a Claires is a Louisa? Or something.
MatildaIThink · 20/10/2021 10:12

Some parents really are horrible human beings, causing their child pain and trauma for their own gratification, that mother needs her head examined.

Clocktopus · 20/10/2021 10:13

It was a shop called Lavisa? Similar to Claires and I have seen children screaming in Claires too so not their shop this time but same sort of environment of poorly trained staff piercing children in a public and non-sterile environment.

Tittyfilarious81 · 20/10/2021 10:13

Oh that poor child it's disgraceful. My little girl had her ears pierced and the woman doing it said she would absolutely not do it if my little girl said no or got distressed in any way nor would she pierce her ears if she was restrained . I'm really shocked the staff did this

backaftera2yearbreak · 20/10/2021 10:13

It doesn’t look like a Claire’s shop.

EllieQ · 20/10/2021 10:14

It has been reported to the police, according to the BBC

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-58971560

NautaOcts · 20/10/2021 10:14

It’s not Claire’s not sure anyone said it was?
It is Lovisa or something like that

I hope it’s shut today and the staff and family feeling thoroughly ashamed and being spoken to by police.

MichelleScarn · 20/10/2021 10:14

That's absolutely horrific, absolutely abusive behaviour.

user9764577436 · 20/10/2021 10:15

I’m not part of the ‘pierce their ears when teenagers’ brigade. Everyone to their own choices, it is literally nobody else’s problem or business. But this girl was screaming for help and she didn’t receive it and that was wrong. The people doing the piercing should be utterly ashamed at themselves. They did not have consent from the little girl who was old enough to voice her concerns so clearly.

Staryflight445 · 20/10/2021 10:16

Not only was I shocked that the mother pressed on whilst her child behaved in this way but what the eff were the staff thinking? Goodness me.
Shops like this should not be allowed to provide such a service and I hope they get looked into and have their licence for this removed.

MakingTheBestOfIt · 20/10/2021 10:16

Cruel and completely unnecessary.

A nasty abuse of power by all the adults concerned.

girlmom21 · 20/10/2021 10:16

@Clocktopus

Who filmed it?

A 14yo girl so she probably didn't feel able to intervene.

Well done to her for having the foresight to film it. Hopefully it'll mean the situation is handled appropriately. Although I don't think any punishment any of the women involved face will be enough.
Jensonfromtheblock · 20/10/2021 10:16

@FinishWhatWeStarted

On Twitter I've just seen Claire's replying that it's not one of their shops? I don't want to see the video though
It’s not Claire’s as far as I can see.
UndeadSlut · 20/10/2021 10:17

It's shocking practice, I won't watch the video because reading about it is distressing enough. Shame on all of the adults involved in this. I imagine the poor girl will have nightmares for a long time.

I've had my ears pierced several times as a teen, and they always got infected or ended up closing up. Had them done again as an adult last year, with a needle for the first time and the experience couldn't have been more different. Gun piercing should be banned.

AutumnLeafy · 20/10/2021 10:19

[quote EllieQ]It has been reported to the police, according to the BBC

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-58971560[/quote]
This article sums it up pretty well for those people who understandably don't want to watch the video. I wish I hadn't tbh.

OhGiveUp · 20/10/2021 10:20

If I had witnessed this or similar, I would have called the police there and then.
The government makes noises about banning smacking, yet torture is somehow ok!!!!!
How can anyone witness that, yet carry on their business without a care!
That poor little girl.

thatsnotmyzoo · 20/10/2021 10:21

I’ve just watched that and it brought a tear to my eye.

That poor poor girl, absolutely horrifying.

What the actual fuck were all the adults here thinking?

TurnUpTurnip · 20/10/2021 10:22

Wtf have I just watched! How can anyone let someone do that to their child? My daughter is 10 and doesn’t want her ears pierced as she said it will hurt, I would never pin her down and get them done 😐

Kanaloa · 20/10/2021 10:23

The issue isn’t ear piercing though - banning ear piercing for under 12s doesn’t get to the heart of the real issue here which is that the staff were clearly ill trained because they shouldn’t have been advising the family to restrain the child but rather should have said sorry we don’t pierce the child’s ears if they’re clearly distressed and don’t want it done.

I know you say oh it should be over 12 because under 12s can’t consent - but this child didn’t consent. They clearly have the ability to consent or not and chose not to, and it was ignored, which is the real issue.