A Leeds fancy dress shop has drawn criticism for its window display featuring a mannequin dressed as a stabbed nurse.

The Amazing Party Company on Albion Street in Leeds City Centre exhibited the mannequin along with a sign stating “Dead Sexy” as part of its Halloween display. 

The costume drew anger from campaigners against sexual violence, including the charity ‘nia’, who campaign against violence towards women and children. 

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, a spokesperson for the charity said “From ‘psycho mental patient’, to Jimmy Savile and now a stabbed woman, nothing seems to be beyond consideration to fancy dress outfit retailers this Halloween. Mental ill health, sexual abuse and fatal male violence against women are not fun, they should not be exploited for profit”.

Writing on their Facebook page, The Amazing Party Company claimed that “the last thing we want to do is upset people”.

Freya Potter, a co-coordinator for Femsoc told LS “This is yet another example of the hyper-sexualisation of violence against women. We don’t have an endemic zombie problem in our society, but 2 women a week are killed by their partner or ex partner. This costume doesn’t exist in a vacuum”.

Caris Shekell

Photo: Emma Bolland