Monday, February 2, 2009

Benefit frauds are women with health issues

So I spend a bit of time in Edinburgh's working class outskirts where I keep seeing the following advert in bus shelters.


There is a website about the campaign, with the following information.

'We're closing In' is aimed at people who have just begun or are thinking about committing benefit fraud. The campaign uses the very real risk of being caught as a deterrent. Its strong visuals highlight the investigation techniques used to track down benefit cheats, bringing home the message that there is no escape for those who commit fraud. '


So, what are these investigation techniques? Going around poorer areas and seeking out shifty looking overweight women, clutching their purses? And what the hell do they mean by 'strong visuals'? A fat woman? It is indeed true that women of her size are more likely to be on buses than bus shelters. Obviously if she can afford that many pies she must be cheating the decent healthy tax payer right? Forget the fact that obesity is often a symptom of poverty. Forget the fact that the people who do cost the tax payer millions are more likely to have penises, wear suits and hire accountants to do their dirty buisness.

It does however, give me an idea for a youth work project around political participation through the selective trashing of bus shelters. It would probably be quite popular, though I'm not sure where I would get funding...

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