Volunteer Ruth Atkins receives an injection of the Ebola vaccine, at the Oxford Vaccine Group Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine (CCVTM) in Oxford, southern England September 17, 2014. The first volunteer in a fast-tracked British safet
IN PHOTO: Volunteer Ruth Atkins receives an injection of the Ebola vaccine, at the Oxford Vaccine Group Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine (CCVTM) in Oxford, southern England September 17, 2014. The first volunteer in a fast-tracked British safety trial of an experimental Ebola vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline received the injection on Wednesday, trial organizers said. Reuters/Stringer

The vaccine debate continues to rage. To convince Australians to join the anti-vaccine side, the Australian Vaccination Skeptics Network compared injections in a Facebook post to rape.

The post had the image of a man covering the mouth of a woman. On the lower right portion of the post is the caption, which reads: “FORCED PENETRATION. Really – no big deal, if it’s just a vaccination needle, and he’s a doctor. Do you really ‘need’ control over you own choices?”

The post was condemned by several groups. Among those that found the post insulting are the Australian Medical Association, the NSW Rape Crisis Centre and politicians. Even some of the network’s supporter said it is “totally out of line.”

The network has removed the offending post. But the network’s Facebook page administrator countered, “This post isn’t tasteless – it is honest. What truly IS tasteless is our elected government trying to tell us that we have to vaccinate our children even if we don’t believe it is best for their health,” quotes the Australian Women’s Weekly.

Health Minister Susan Ley said that hinting vaccination as another form of rape is not truthful. She said it is an ill-informed and disgusting campaign that only highlights how dangerous it is for Australian parents to listen to the myths being perpetuated by anti-vaccine organisations.

Ley said the ministry will launch a counter campaign. The target is to make sure that Aussie parents could make informed choices without listening to propaganda that she described as “vile rubbish.”

Even Opposition health spokesman Catherine King sided with the government. King said, “At a time when a Royal Commission is uncovering the true horror of child sex abuse, equating doctors with rapists shows how completely unhinged the AVN has become,” quotes News.com.au.

One parent who were anti-vaccination saw the post and changed side, pointing out, “Sexual assault is nothing compared to the government saying jab or don’t get benefits. You still have a choice whether to vaccinate, people that are sexually assaulted, don’t.”

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au

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