Media And Domestic Violence Essay

624 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Rape culture in the media

In a modern society that is now consumed by media, what constitutes as sexual assault or intimate partner violence has become a “gray area” for most people. Media has largely contributed to public misperception with the normalization of domestic violence through most of pop culture. The increasing exposure of misogynistic messages has desensitized audiences of all ages, fostering a tolerance for male aggression and creating double standards for both genders.
According to Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), a non-stranger commits 82% of sexual assaults with 25% being intimate. Although there is not a typical profile for offenders, they are overwhelmingly male and typically have access to consensual sex.
On August 11, 2011, a 16-year-old girl from Ohio had been incapacitated …show more content…

The football players reportedly shared photos of the assault on their social networking sites and with their friends. When the verdict came out, both perpetrators were charged as delinquents and given the minimum sentences. However, much of mainstream media started sympathizing for the rapists. CNN reporter Poppy Harlow, who at the time was covering the trail, said, “It was incredibly difficult, even for an outsider like me, to watch what happened as these two young men that had such promising futures, star football players, very good students, literally watched as they believed their lives fell apart.”
Besides news outlets, other media such as movies, TV shows, mainstream music, and fashion houses are guilty of having a similar effect on their respective audience by glamorizing domestic violence. Movies such as 50 Shades of Grey, Horrible Bosses, Twilight, and even the popular Disney movie Beauty and the Beast all have one thing in common: they normalize domestic and sexual violence. As a child, you learn through Beauty and the Beast about being submissive and forgiving to

Show More
Related

  • Violence in the Media

    1064 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gina Marchetti, in her essay "Action-Adventure as Ideology," argues that action- adventure films implicitly convey complex cultural messages regarding American values and the "white American status quo." She continues to say that all action-adventure movies have the same basic structure, including plot, theme, characterization, and iconography. As ideology, this film genre tacitly expresses social norms, values, and morals of its time. Marchetti's essay, written in 1989, applies to films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Rambo: First Blood II. However, action-adventure films today seem to be straying farther away from her generalizations about structure, reflecting new and different cultural norms in America. This changing ideology is depicted best in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (1994), which defies nearly every concept Marchetti proposes about action-adventure films; and it sets the stage for a whole new viewpoint of action in the '90's.

    Read More

  • The Man Box

    2796 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the past century, America has made great leaps in terms of equality. With the efforts made by the civil rights and suffrage movements, all people gained the right to vote. We are even moving forward with marriage equality, and currently fifteen states recognize same-sex marriage. But regardless of all of our progressive institutional movements forward, we continue to socially oppress women. Men’s violence against women has grown to be an internationally recognized epidemic, and will continue to grow unless measures be made to stop it. Domestic violence continues to be prevalent in the lives of many families, and is the primary cause of homelessness in half of cases for women in children. Many women have been forced to alter their behaviors out of fear of being sexually or physically assaulted. One out of every three women is sexually or physically abused in their lifetimes. The first thing that comes to mind is, there are a lot of people abusing women out there. Many people with opposing ideas may claim that men can be victims of violence perpetrated by women, but in instances not used for self-defense, it is rarely part of a systematic pattern of power and control through force or threat of force. In fact, 99% of rape is perpetrated by men, but when confronting men about the issue of violence against women, it is often combated with denial. Jackson Katz writes in his book, The Macho Paradox, “We take comfort in the idea of the aforementioned child-rapist murderer as a horrible aberration. A monster. We’re nothing like him.”(Katz 30). The sad truth is that most women who are raped are raped by men they know, or even men they love. Many men have a hard time believing that saying that most violence is perpetuated by men does not...

    Read More

  • Independence Day Martine Mcbride Analysis

    1312 Words  | 3 Pages

    Domestic violence happens all around the media, not just in the home of the victim but also in public places such as schools, parks, workplaces, etc., Domestic violence also happens in relationships and families. Domestic violence is very wrong and needs to be stopped because 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in their lives. Domestic violence doesn’t just happen with women, men can also be a victim of domestic violence.

    Read More

  • Preventing Intimate Partner Violence

    569 Words  | 2 Pages

    Intimate partner violence is still a common issue that affects women from all walks of life. It is an issue that is too often ignored until the violence has become deadly. In the book “Women: Images and Realities a Multicultural Anthology,” chapter seven entitled “Violence Against Women” includes pieces that cover the issue of intimate partner violence. In Michele McKeon’s piece “Understanding Intimate Partner Violence” she states that “In 1994 the Violence Against Women Act was passed, revolutionizing programs, services, and funding for individuals affected by intimate partner violence and their families” (McKeon 497). Yet the revolutionized programs, which McKeon speaks of, haven’t changed the fact that the violence continues and in my opinion, it is not enough to just deal with the aftermath of the violence, the prevention of intimate partner violence is something that society needs to address. In addition, McKeon also states “The Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that 1,181 women were murdered by their intimate partners in 2005; two million women experience injurie...

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Teen Dating Violence

    1654 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many people are uneducated when it comes to domestic violence, sexual violence, and teen dating violence. “Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence” (Domestic Violence: Statistics & Facts). The statistics of domestic violence are alarming. “1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime”

    Read More

  • How Does Popular Culture Influence Pop Culture

    2096 Words  | 5 Pages

    One movie that stands out in particular to me is the Disney movie, The Beauty and the Beast. I watched this movie as a child and loved it. However, looking at it today it sends me a different message. In the story the main character Belle is taken prisoner by the Beast, who is very aggressive, temperamental, and controlling. Belle ends up falling love with the Beast, but I did some research on this and there are many theories that say Belle shows similar symptoms to Stockholm Syndrome. This is where a victim starts to have feelings and affection for their captor. My problem with The Beauty and the Beast, is it targets young girls and teaches them that it’s okay to stay with someone and put up with their temper and aggression as long as you love them. This again is promoting a culture where domestic violence and abuse are okay. Another popular movie today that serves as a good example would be The Twilight Saga. In the movies the main character Bella falls in love with a vampire and because of this many awful life threatening things happen to her. Bella is so obsessed over Edward, the vampire, that when he leaves her, she shuts down into a spiral of depression. This also targets young girls and makes them think they have to have a man in their life. This is a huge problem because women in abusive relationships often find it very hard to leave their partner. So if women take the advice given to us

    Read More

  • Media Violence

    1852 Words  | 4 Pages

    Does entertainment influence society's attitude towards violent behavior? In order to fully answer this question we must first understand what violence is. Violence is the use of one's powers to inflict mental or physical injury upon another; examples of this would be rape or murder. Violence in entertainment reaches the public by way of television, movies, plays, music, and novels. Through the course of this essay it will be proven that violence in entertainment is a major factor in the escalation of violence in society, once this is proven we will take all of the evidence that has been shown throughout this paper and come to a conclusion as to whether or not violence in entertainment is justified and whether or not it should be censored.

    Read More

  • The Effects Of Domestic Violence On Women

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    Domestic violence can often go unnoticed, unreported and undeterred before it’s too late. Unfortunately, recent awareness efforts have gathered traction only when public outcry for high profile cases are magnified through the media. Despite this post-measured reality, a general response to domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) by the majority of the public is in line with what most consider unacceptable and also with what the law considers legally wrong. Consider by many, more than just a social discrepancy, the Center of Diseases Control and Prevention currently classifies IPV and DV as a social health problem (CDC, 2014).

    Read More

  • Sexual Assault Essay

    1660 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sexual assault is defined as a type of behaviour that occurs without explicit consent from the recipient and under sexual assault come various categories such as sexual activities as forces sexual intercourse, incest, fondling, attempted rape and more (Justice.gov. 2017). People often become victims of sexual assault by someone they know and trust (Mason & Lodrick, 2013) which is conflicting to the public’s perception and beliefs that offenders are strangers. Women are the main victims for sexual assault and are 5 times more likely to have been a victim of sexual assault from a male (Wright, 2017, p. 93). Men are victims of sexual assault however only 0.7% of men, compared to 3.2% of women, experience some form of sexual assault which highlights how vulnerable women are compared to men. Sexual assault is publicised and exposed in the media, however is often

    Read More

  • Intimate Partner Violence

    1173 Words  | 3 Pages

    Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is historically referred to as domestic violence. It describes a pattern of coercive and assaultive behavior that may include psychological abuse, progressive isolation, sexual assault, physical injury, stalking, intimidation, deprivation, and reproductive coercion among partners (The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), 1999). IPV leads to lifelong consequences such as lasting physical impairment, emotional trauma, chronic health problems, and even death. It is an issue effecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background. Eighty-five percent of domestic violence victims are women (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003). More than one in three women in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2012). Thirty to sixty percent of perpetrators tend to also abuse children in the household (Edelson, 1999). Witnessing violence between parents or caretakers is considered the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next (Break the Cycle, 2006).

    Read More

  • Domestic Violence Essay

    553 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the 1980s and 1900s, domestic violence was one of the most unreported crimes that involve females and males getting hurt and dying. Kicking, choking, killing, and saying brutal or despise words that could hurt the victims physically or emotionally are considered domestic violence. In fact, many victims are afraid to seek for help. According to “The Domestic Violence Resource Center (DVRC), women account for approximately 85 percent of all intimate partner violence, with women aged 20-24 at greater risk” (Batten, par.16). Most pregnant women are at risk as well. “But underlying approach is still one that assumes the perpetrators are men and the victims are woman” (Haugen, par. 1). Moreover, both males and females believe that domestic violence is a solution to their issues.

    Read More

  • Solutions to the Problem of Domestic Violence

    815 Words  | 2 Pages

    Domestic violence is skyrocketing in our society. In the U.S., as many as 1.5 million women and 850,000 men were physically assaulted by their intimate partner last year, and numerous children abused by their parents. These sad criminal acts will continue to grow in our society, unless our community takes action to stop these crimes.

    Read More

  • Violence Against Men

    2719 Words  | 6 Pages

    Billboards, radio, and TV ads across the country proclaim that “every fifteen seconds a woman is beaten by a man.” Violence against women is clearly a problem of national importance, but has anyone ever asked how often men are beaten by women? The unfortunate fact is that men are the victims of domestic violence at least as often as women are. While the very idea of men being beaten by their wives runs contrary to many of our deeply ingrained beliefs about men and women, female violence against men is a well-documented phenomenon almost completely ignored by both the media and society.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: The Media And Domestic Violence

    662 Words  | 2 Pages

    he media is the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocentguilty and the guilty innocent and that’s power. That’s because they control the minds of themasses. – Malcolm X.Good Morning, Teachers and tudents. The media controls how !

    Read More

  • Media Violence Essay

    1082 Words  | 3 Pages

    By the time a child reaches the age of one, they see about 200,000 acts of violence on television. (Nakaya, 3). The Media has been becoming more and more violent over the years. A poll in an issue of Times Magazine, from 2005, showed that 66 percent of Americans think that there is an abundant amount of graphic acts of violence on televisions (Nakaya, 18). People are exposed to thousands of acts of violence through video games, television, and movies. Many studies show that media violence increases violent behavior in in humans. Studies show, violent video games, and graphic television have physiological effects on children. The government has very few regulations on media violence. Some people believe the government shouldn’t limit content because others might be insulted by its material. Media violence is such a broad topic and has such a large presence in daily lives, so we cannot simple get rid of it. The Federal Communications Commission stipulates, “By the time most children begin the third grade, they will have spent the equivalent of three school years in front of a television set.” Even though the government shouldn’t censor the media, Media violence is becoming a serious issue because it is becoming more violent, it makes people behave violently, and it has little regulations.

    Read More

More about Media And Domestic Violence Essay

Open Document