Start by watching the video.
I want to love this video. I want to love it because it’s a campaign against domestic violence that targets men. And we can’t truly address the problem of domestic violence without men.
Men are half of our population. Men are brothers, sisters, friends, lovers, husbands, and fathers of women who are abused. Men are also the majority of abusers.
Domestic violence campaigns that talk directly to men are important; such efforts have not been supported enough over the years.
But there’s something wrong with this video.
It assumes the kind of paternalistic stance that really bothers me. Biden says, “The worst abuse of power is when a man raises his hand to hit a woman.”
Really? The worst abuse of power? How about when governments commit genocide? Or when adults murder children? Now, I don’t want to be in the business of ranking crimes – all victims deserve acknowledgement and respect. But I do think that framing intimate partner violence in this manner is just a call to “save the women” that is ultimately disempowering.
He goes on to say, “If you see someone threatening a woman, step up, speak out, and get help.” And that’s not quite right either. Again, it’s a plea to protect women from other men, rather than the action we really need: men to stop hurting women themselves.
I want to love this video – I just can’t.
The website is better.
Related articles:
- What is the Truth About Abuse? (crimedime.com)
- I Have a (Woman) I’m Very Protective Of: What Can Men do to Stop Rape? (crimedime.com)
- Bad Things Advocates Say (crimedime.com)
- Neutrality is Not an Option in Violence Against Women Claims (crimedime.com)
- Restaurant Misses the Point with Rihanna and Chris Black and Bleu Burger Debacle (crimedime.com)
Louise Behiel
June 26, 2012
Interesting video – I didn’t mind it. Using celebrities and ‘names’ to push the message to primarily younger men, I thought, is probably as good a way to get the message across as any. To me, it felt like men talking to other men. it wasn’t about empowering women at all but a ‘hey guys’ kind of message.
i’ll have to check out the website.
investigator25
June 26, 2012
Three things bother me about this program:
1- It assumes only women are abused – what about men who are abused?
2- There is no mention of family violence where children are abused by parents, and parents are abused or murdered by their children.
Third – is the disabled child or elder who is neglected and abused.
But, when you are using this message to target women voters, I suppose the other two classes of people do not matter – one class is too young to vote and the elders – may be unable to vote due to physical ailments or refusal of their support providers to assist them
CrimeDime
June 27, 2012
Investigator25 – we should have been clearer. The campaign is specific to dating violence, which is why children and others are excluded. And gender neutral language is the way to go – to recognize all victims of violence, regardless of their sex or the sex of the abuser. We can do that while still acknowledging the gendered nature of dating violence by focusing more prevention efforts on males.
Tending Weeds
July 3, 2012
The fight against DV must be fought equally by men and women. People must stand up and protect other people. Regardless of gender, age, color, religion, or appearance, no one deserves to be made to cry. Ever.