THE Townsville woman who posed, bound and gagged, for a controversial lifelike image placed on the back of a ute has defended the artwork as a joke.

Bikini model Bree Benyon, 24, took to social media on Tuesday to support the image and said her father, a professional sign-writer, painted it on the back of her stepmother’s ute.

The former V8 Grid Girl told people upset by the image to “live a little” and have a “sense of humour”.

Bound and gagged woman: Ute artwork outrages drivers

“This is me on the back of my step mum’s ute,” she wrote on Facebook. “Live a little, have a sense of humour – obviously the picture got people’s attention so the photo worked.”

Ms Benyon recently returned from the Gold Coast where she was chosen to appear in Maxim magazine’s 2015 calendar via the Australian Swimwear of the Year competition.

She did not want to add to her online comments when contacted by the Townsville Bulletin.

media_camera SAVVY Final of the 2014 ASMY Comp 1st Runner-Up Bree Benyon at Townsville's FINAL of the 2014 Australian Swimwear Model search held at the Avenues Hotel Picture Bryan Lynch

“My dad did the print six months ago and it was my stepmum’s car,” she said.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles of Townsville Child Protection Investigation Unit said police would take no action as no offence was committed.

“It has to be obscene and corrupting morals, like sexual acts, nudity or offences relating to child exploitation to be considered under Section 228 of the Criminal Code,” he said.

“It may be objectionable, but it is not necessarily obscene or tending to corrupt.”

The image sparked controversy across the country after being published by the Bulletin yesterday and went viral on social media.

Opinions were split with some saying it was “funny” and others horrified.

Elizabeth Brodie wrote online: “And we wonder why the largest ‘silent’ killer of women in Australia is domestic violence? Whether it’s a man or a woman in the picture is irrelevant. This is not something to be applauded.”

But others said some “T-shirts on 12-year-olds” would be more offensive.

Mark Power posted: “People need to get over themselves and see the lighter side of this.”

The Townsville Women’s Centre said the image was degrading to women and glorified domestic violence.

Originally published as That's me tied up on ute and it's OK