Operation Bobbi Bear supports sexually abused children. So why is it using a teddy bear dressed in a 'burlesque' stripper costume complete with nipple tassles, to raise funds?  

'Bearlesque' Teddy is being auctioned off at Sotheby's New York on Dec 8th along with a host of other bears wearing costumes designed by celebrities: http://bobbibearauction.com/the-bears/dita-von-teese/

'Bearlesque' Teddy was itself designed by reknowned 'strip artist', Dita Von Teese, who has been at the forefront of 'normalising' the burlesque/strip industry and whose website warns purchasers to check that her videos are legal in their own country. 

Surely 'sexual entertainment' should NEVER be associated with a children's charity - especially a charity for children who have been sexually abused?

This connection is even more wrong given that paedophiles often use props to groom children for abuse - like dolls, teddies and of course pictures or videos of the 'adult entertainment' industry - like burlesque and pornography.

We urge Operation Bobbi Bear and Life Ball (who conceived these celebrity 'Build-a-Bears') to remove this item from its auction and ask Operation Bobbi Bear to distance itself from the 'sexual entertainment industry' from now on.