Now, I don't have children, but I'm pretty sure that parents teach their kids that hitting, biting, choking, etc is unacceptable in all circumstances. Maybe parents teach their kids to fight back, but they don't teach their kids to start a fistfight or that violence is ever an appropriate remedy. So tell me, why is it that society treats domestic violence in an altogether different manner? Why is it that, in cases of domestic violence, we justify it and think that somehow a woman deserves to be hit, beat, shoved, choked, slapped, etc? Why do we justify these behaviors with the idea that a woman got what she deserved or that she must have provoked it? Why do we place a degree of responsibility, shame, and guilt upon the woman?
Last week, I read an article in which teenage girls were in disbelief over allegations of Chris Brown's physical abuse towards his girlfriend, Rihanna. They believe that Rihanna should also be held responsible for domestic violence and that it was her fault. I am disgusted by this attitude.
We have to believe that women do something to incite this violence because otherwise it means that any woman is a potential victim and any man is a potential perpetrator. Even pop singers and teen idols. If we can place a degree of responsibility and blame upon the victim, then women can relax, believing that they would never do something to provoke violence. We can tell ourselves that it won't happen to us and that we are immune by convincing ourselves that domestic violence is a result of some individual fault rather than a systematic, patriarchal practices and beliefs that women are subordinate to men.
Last week, I read an article in which teenage girls were in disbelief over allegations of Chris Brown's physical abuse towards his girlfriend, Rihanna. They believe that Rihanna should also be held responsible for domestic violence and that it was her fault. I am disgusted by this attitude.
We have to believe that women do something to incite this violence because otherwise it means that any woman is a potential victim and any man is a potential perpetrator. Even pop singers and teen idols. If we can place a degree of responsibility and blame upon the victim, then women can relax, believing that they would never do something to provoke violence. We can tell ourselves that it won't happen to us and that we are immune by convincing ourselves that domestic violence is a result of some individual fault rather than a systematic, patriarchal practices and beliefs that women are subordinate to men.
1 comment:
This has nothing to do with your entry - BUT WE ARE GOING TO DC GIRLFRIEND! Dr. Danziger told me today that you are the Winter quarter UCDC Associate and I am the Spring quarter! We need to get coffee and talk about how fun and awesome it will be. :)
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