Owners close 'Battered Wife' fish shop after 'abusive witch hunt'
The owner of a far North Queensland fish and chip shop says she’s been forced to close her controversially named business on the back of an “abusive witch hunt”.
Carolyn Kerr, a former police officer and domestic violence victim, raised some eyebrows when images of her Innisfail shopfront, ‘The Battered Wife’ went viral in November.
At the time she said she wanted the title to publicly “make a noise” about domestic violence and encourage others to stand up against it.
She vowed to rise above the “keyboard warriors” who accused her of making a mockery of the incredibly sensitive issue, but three months on Ms Kerr has shared an emotional Facebook video explaining why she is now closing her doors.
“It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that The Battered Wife will cease trading on Monday,” she said, holding back tears.
“I’ve been the subject of an abusive witch hunt by a not-for-profit organisation who are anti-abuse however they threatened to throw bricks through my window, they complained to ASIC to have my business name revoked but I got through that one,” she said.
With an upcoming audit from Fair Work, Ms Kerr said her perseverance was wearing thin.
“I just can’t see any way that I can trade my way through it,” she added.
She said the business will go on the market for $69,000 but has also offered up the entire property, including a house behind the shop, for $330,000.
“My biggest disappointment is informing my team that they no longer have a job,” she said as she showcased the items that were up for grabs.
“Virtually everything you see is for sale.”
Why owner settled on the controversial name
When news of her controversial store caused outrage late last year, Ms Kerr told 7 News she wanted to locals to understand her fish is “the only battering anyone need know”.
The phrase is also written on her shopfront window beside its ‘The Battered Wife’ sign.
She said she had experienced numerous domestic situations first-hand from both sides of the fence, and found too many people “sweep it under the carpet”.
“Your head’s saying ‘what the hell are you doing? Get out of this’. But the heart’s going, ‘Oh, I love him’,” she said of her own experience.
“With everything we’ve got wrong with our society at the moment, it’s my own little way to put my own personal stamp on what shouldn’t be. And make people talk about it, make people think about it.
“I don’t make fun of it,” she said.
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
