The video for Kanye West's song "Monster" hasn't even been formally released and it's already courting controversy.

While there have been reports that MTV banned the video in light of complaints regarding its portrayal of women, the network says that hasn't happened.

In what appears to be an unfinished video for the song - which also features rappers Rick Ross, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj - West is seen lounging with the bodies of lifeless women and holding the bloody, decapitated head of a woman. The video has been making its rounds on the Web for a few months.

Melinda Tankard Reist and Sharon Haywood started a petition asking West's label not to release the video and MTV to not air it.

"I’m not interested at all in going after Kanye West for the sake of it," says a note on Tankard Reist's website. "That would be very boring. It specifically relates to the carnival of carnage he has created, the ‘rape scenario set to a soundtrack’, the idea that torture porn is sexy. We are targeting what he has created and the message it sends and the harm this causes."

However, MTV has clarified that the video has not been banned.

"MTV has not banned Kaye West's 'Monster' video," a spokesperson for MTV told CNN. "We have been in constant communication with the label regarding this matter. However, we are still awaiting the edits we requested in order for the video to be suitable for broadcast."