Ending Violence Articles

These days, going to the movies, watching a favorite show or picking up a magazine has become a minefield for a lot of people. Recently, I received a request to sign a petition for the MPAA to amend their current rating system to include a warning label for sexual abuse. The woman who initiated the petition, Hannah, is a survivor of rape and childhood sexual abuse and, according to her, seeing such violence without a warning depicted on the small and big screen triggers those painful memories. As I read the petition my first reaction was "is she crazy?" Her first paragraph opens with the statement that she never talks about her trauma, not even with her husband, so to me, that seemed to be more of a personal issue than something the MPAA needed to address. As I read through the petition again, and the comments that followed, my initial reaction, well, it began to waver.

There is no question that the media objectifies women by portraying them (us) as objects that can be brutalized for plot lines, bottom lines and shoes. Images of masculinity and femininity in the media encourage the association of masculinity with violence, dominance and power. Yes, depictions of gang rape, sadomasochism, domestic violence, kidnapping and dismemberment have been featured as “edgy art” in order to sell us . . . stuff. Many of the brands that we covet and buy have come under fire over the past few years for their wanton disregard for the issues of violence against women in order to sell purses, clothes, shampoo, cars and even Big Macs?! But, don’t take my word for it, check out some of the best (meaning most offensive) ads and see for yourself. But those are just print ads and the MPAA has nothing to do with their content. Is the issue of sexual violence in a show or movie really that prevalent that it requires a trigger warning? 

The issue of violence against women in film, television and even video games, has been in the public consciousness for decades. However, one of the more disturbing observations that have evolved over time is the increased sexualization of violence against women, begging the real question of whether life imitates art or does art imitate life? 

To answer this question, we have to look at the culture of rape itself. One of the most important contributions to this topic is the book Transforming a Rape Culture where 37 women and men contributed their expertise in tackling the challenge of transforming a society that accepts sexual violence. There has been significant research that emphasizes cultural and social factors that contribute to a society that condones sexual assault and violence against women. In fact, there are many who argue that sexual assault is connected to the desensitization that occurs through the portrayal of violence in the media and popular culture. One study showed that, after being exposed to one extremely violent film a day for five days, the men found the violence less anxiety-provoking and depressing; they evaluated the injury experienced by female victims of sexual assault as less significant; and were less able to empathize with real victims. 

Theorists have also argued that the media contributes to the perpetuation of sexual assault because it commodifies women's bodies. One theorist argues that "[w]e live in a culture that rarely discusses sex as anything other than a commodity. . . . Instead, youths, particularly young men, are bombarded by a culture that sexualizes commodities and commodifies women's sexuality." The result of this is twofold:  First, commodification of women's sexuality teaches that sex is something to be consumed and to which men are entitled. Second, because sex is something that can be bought and sold, taking it by force is theft, not a violation. "[P]recisely because men can and do pay for sex, taking it without consent becomes less morally reprehensible than other violent crimes." From: Katharine K. Baker, Once a Rapist? Motivational Evidence and Relevancy in Rape Law, 110 Harv. L. Rev. 563 (1997). 




Research and theories aside, while we may know that the media has a significant impact on creating violence, I still keep going back to my initial question of whether the use of a trigger warning is appropriate. When do labels and political correctness stop being society’s crutch for avoiding the elephant in the room? Hannah said that she never talks about her trauma, even with her husband which, to me, says that she has never had the ability to heal. If you talk to any survivor of sexual trauma there are common things that you hear, shame, fear, dirty, helpless, and undeserving. Sadly, these are the feelings that come not only from the violence itself, but from the way that society deals with survivors. Perhaps instead of a trigger warning for content, we should work on teaching society an appropriate way of dealing with victims and survivors so that when those triggers happen, it won’t be like traumatizing someone over and over again.