AN image of a bound and gagged woman on the back of a ute has sparked outrage.

Shocked motorists have been left horrified by the lifelike image after they spotted the vehicle driving through the streets of Townsville.

Police said a number of complaints had been made by Townsville residents in the past six months demanding the image be removed.

Townsville Station officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Tony Melrose said no police action would be taken as there were no criminal laws against “bad taste”.

“There is no legislation that covers it,” he said.

“In a free society, bad taste is difficult to legislate against.

“If it was a picture of a real person and that person was concerned, it would be different, but given it is a fictitious image there is not a lot that can be done.”

Police said the vehicle was currently registered to a Townsville woman.

Mount Louisa resident Jane Chester said a friend sent her the “disturbing” image after photographing it on Fullham Rd last week.

“I was horrified that anybody would think that was appropriate and would want to have that kind of violent image displayed on their vehicle and have ownership of that,” she said.

“From a distance you possibly would think it is real ... I felt quite threatened (at first).

“It is bad enough that there are people living with the pain and fear of domestic violence without them having to see this image condoning and glorifying abuse.”

Ms Chester said such stickers should be illegal.

“I have three little girls and I just really worry that they will see it and ask me what it is,” she said.

“To have gone to those lengths to do something that is so offensive is just awful.”

Townsville Women’s Centre co-ordinator Cathy Crawford slammed the image as degrading to women. “It is traumatising and it is implying that she is being put in her grave with a shovel and is tied up,” she said.

“I think it is sending out a message of brutality to women.

“It is quite shocking.”

Ms Crawford said there was nothing entertaining or lighthearted about an image depicting violence.