Holiday photo with wife, daughters gagged 'degrading'

Jessica Durando | USA TODAY

Peace on Earth?

A family photo of a holiday card, which features the three female members silenced by green tape across their mouths and arms bound with lights as the father and son rejoice behind them, has caused quite a stir.

Hannah Hawkes Photography has since deleted the image from the studio's Facebook page.

The photographer responded to her critics on Facebook on December 14, saying "I would like to say that as a female I do NOT and have never promoted violence to women! I do not support abuse, or the degradation of women."

She says, "My controversial photo was taken by request by the family, and was in no way meant to promote abuse. This photo was taken with humor in mind, and was meant as a comical Christmas photo."

But some commenters remained disgusted by what they described as a "degrading" photo.

"The fact that you and your friends find this funny shows what a sick bunch you truly are. There are women and children being held against their will in this very country," Tiffany Locke posted.

Husband gags his wife and daughters for family holiday card and captions it 'Peace on Earth' https://t.co/8nX0Dseqbh pic.twitter.com/IesMUQgAdT — Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) December 16, 2015

Elaine Sullivan added, "Maybe you and your friends didn't think of your photo as being degrading to women at the time. But it is. What message are you sending to children?"

Others said there was nothing wrong with the picture.

"It's satirical. If anyone has a problem with it, that's their problem. I know my daughters would think it's funny. If yours think the same, then, you are raising them right."