Lisa Larson-Walker, Visual Art. Media Review Post.
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Take a few moments to look at the visual art posted above. This piece's creator is Lisa Larson-Walker, an artist, designer, illustrator, photographer, photo editor, and writer who is currently the Art Director at ProPublica. Looking at this piece, we see a man with a mask on glaring at the observer. There is also a woman screaming, with her face squinched as she bangs against what appears to be glass, creating cracks in her completion. Surrounding the pair are swirls of white and color filling the air like gases. In this case, the man seems to be the abuser who is in control and protected by his mask. The woman is trying to escape what I imagine to be poisonous gas by breaking through the barrier, making it look as if she is shattering. As someone who has experienced this issue firsthand, I believe this visual art describes the feeling of being inside these relationships. The abuser has control, power, and protection while the victim is suffocating and in pain, here the woman screaming represents the difficulty of trying to escape these types of relationships.
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In abusive relationships, the abuser’s attempts to maintain power and control can cause their behavior to become even more severe and for victims to be even more at risk. Mayo Clinic says that “The longer you stay in an abusive relationship, the greater the physical and emotional toll. You might become depressed and anxious or begin to doubt your ability to take care of yourself. You might feel helpless or paralyzed." This issue is what I see happening in this art, there is helplessness and anxiety and panic in the woman’s face and she is breaking. It is hard to escape abusive relationships and break the cycle of violence, it can even be dangerous.
There are many unique challenges to leaving a domestic violence situation, but it all starts with taking action and being precautious. This is why women’s centers and shelters and domestic violence hotlines are so important. Mayo Clinic recommends creating a safety plan and protecting your communication and location and knowing where to seek help. One of the main priorities of abusers is to keep their victims isolated. The visual art enforces this idea because we only see the victim and abuser. However, the glass is easier to break and refuge is easier to find if you have someone helping. When you reach out and seek help, you can be less damaged. Turn to those whom you can trust, turn to those who are there to provide, counsel, and protect. Do not let someone keep you isolated, suffocating, and struggling by yourself.
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Source: https://lisalarsonwalker.com/ and https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/domestic-violence/art-20048397
Author: T.M.
Word Count: 440
"La Negra Blanca" - media review
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Roxane Gay’s “La Negra Blanca” in Difficult Women shows the unfortunate experiences of Carmen, a housekeeper; and Sierra, a stripper; who have been a victim to sexual assualt and rape by a wealthy man named William Livingston. This is an example of Power-based Interpersonal Violence because by definition there is a primary motivator who uses “the assertion of power, control and/or intimidation in order to harm another” in any form of abuse, including “partner violence, sexual assault‚ stalking‚ and other uses of force‚ threat‚ intimidation‚ or harassment of an individual” (Rowan University). This story shows how men with authority and wealth are able to use their resources to take advantage of those “inferior” to them, usually without consequence.
Carmen was William Livingston’s housekeeper. He hired her on the spot because he was attracted to her. Livingston said, “He used to think his wealth was a burden but quickly realized what he could get away with” (Gay 67). He used this knowledge to his advantage by installing security cameras to watch her shower, sleep, eat, etc. One night he went to her room and tried to touch her, when she tried to stop it Livingston explained, “‘I own everything in this house.’” When she realized her job, that she really needed, was at stake, she had no other choice but to keep quiet and do what her boss wanted her to.
Livingston didn’t stop there though. Sierra was a stripper that he had taken an extreme liking to, and did not try to keep it to himself. More often than not he would touch her inappropriately, stop her from leaving, and become very possessive. If Sierra complained, nothing would happen. “William always tips generously so the bouncer won’t intervene when William breaks club rules, which he does, regularly” (Gay 70). This possessiveness ultimately led to him barging into Sierra’s apartment to assualt and rape her. When her boyfriend wanted to report it, Sierra said it was an “Occupational hazard” (73).
Without ever getting consequences for his actions, Livingston knew he could continue to abuse his power, get what he wants, and not have to worry about any repercussions. Whether he was someone’s boss or customer, he always made sure he was the one with the upper hand whether it be his position of power or use of money. This is a common story within Power-based Interpersonal Violence, and unfortunately it is even more common that those men who take advantage of their resources are not held accountable for their actions.
Author: A.R.
Word count: 419
"Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile"
Media Review
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“Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” depicts the story of the famous serial killer, Ted Bundy. It shows the story of a power-based interpersonal violence relationship, as well as, using sexual abuse to murder many women. Ted Bundy killed 30 people that we know of, there very likely could have been more. He is the face of sexual and serial crime, everyone knows his name. There are so many signs in his relationship with a woman that indicate a power-based violence relationship. He is secretive, he lies, and is seductive.
In the movie, Ted Bundy is charming to a girl he meets in the bar and goes home with her. From there, they build a strong, loving relationship. But, even though he is in a solid relationship, he pursues other girls to use as his victims. Bundy is convicted and goes to court numerous times. He is then put in jail and his relationship is not as stable anymore. As the movie goes on, he connects with a woman that he tries to help him get out of jail. He is conceiving and manipulative. Ted Bundy resembles everything we have learned about what power-based interpersonal violence is. As his trials continued and got more media-attention, women found themselves sexually attracted to Bundy, which is crazy. Ted Bundy eventually is sentenced to death through the death penalty.
The most important thing people should do is to educate themselves on the signs of a sexually violent criminal. So many women and men go to bars and meet people they desire to go home with. So many women and men meet people in the daytime and desire to go home with them. Not enough people are aware of what the signs are. People can be charming at first, but as soon as they get you alone their intentions are evil. Being aware of your surroundings and who you are trusting is so important to your safety. Noticing that they are unusually harsh and rude and sometimes are violent are signs that you should immediately leave the relationship.
Power-based interpersonal violence relationships are hard to see and hard to get out of. Ted Bundy’s girlfriend did not know to get out until he had been convicted of his crime. Everyone needs to be aware of what these relationships look like and how they occur. The motivator is deceiving, evil and at times, very charming. Being aware of these characteristics need to be more talked about than they are. It is too sensitive of a crime to not be talked and educated about more.
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Source: Netflix
Author: K.B.
Word Count: 429
"I'm OK" by Christina Aguilera- media review
Speaking out about personal abuse is an incredibly hard, but brave thing to do. In Christina Aguilera’s album, “Stripped”, she focuses on the themes of self-respect, sex, and feminism. In one of the songs on the album, “I’m OK”, she tells about her childhood of growing up with an abusive father. This song is so real and brings awareness to domestic abuse. Just listening to it, you can hear the hurt in her voice, but it presents so much strength of her to be able to come forward and sing about it. Christina explains in her song the effects of the abuse, and what helped her during the times of feeling unsafe in her own home.
The effects of domestic abuse can be emotionally and mentally hard. In her song, she sings “I often wonder why I carry all of this guilt, when it is you that helped me put up all these walls I’ve built”. She explains how even after all that her father has done, she is the one carrying the guilt. These feelings of shame and guilt are two frequent reactions for victims for any kind of abuse. Victims may often even blame themselves and feel like they are responsible for what was done to them.
Physiological trauma caused by abuse can be severe and long-lasting, but it is important for victims to not feel alone. Christina Aguilera mentions in her song how her mother was her shield during these times. She sings, “Strength is my mother for all the love she gave, every morning that I wake I look back to yesterday, and I’m OK”. Christina’s mother was also abused by her father, but she always provided love and strength to Christina. The strength that she provided for Christina and herself pulled them out of a bad environment, even though they would have nothing after. Having a sense of support can help victims gain back their sense of wellness, and not feel like they are by themselves.
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Source:
Author: M.B.
Word count: 331
Netflix's "Unbelievable" - Media review
Author: G.H.
Word count: 435
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The limited series on Netflix “Unbelievable” depicts a true story of a young woman named Marie who was raped and the aftermath that she went through. It explains in detail what happens after a rape and how it affects the young woman. She reports her rape to the police to then be told by them that it did not happen. However, two women detectives help her bring her case to justice. In this essay, I will argue that the portrayal of the events after a rape are sadly well done.
After Marie’s rape, the police come to her aparment to ask questions and survey the apartment. Marie tells her story to an officer at her apartment for the first time. After going through the rape, she tells the officer specfic details regarding what happened. She is traumatized by having to relive it to tell the officer but knows it is crucial to the investigation. The actress portrays how after sexual assault that many people do not want to talk about it but just move on and forget it happened. However, two detectives show up and ask her to run through the story again with them. Marie walks through the trauma once again. Marie is then sent to have invasive tests done at the hospital. She is then asked again about what happened by the nurses. Marie is finally allowed to go and rest. Later at the station, Marie has to tell the story again and then write down what she said. Each time her story differed however “memories come back in pieces” which could change her story. Due to her story changing, the detectives thought she was lying. Most people who get raped forget the smaller details after as a way to cope.
When the detectives talked to witnesses that know Marie’s character, her foster mom said she had a “look at me behavior” and that she was troubled and acted out. After this piece of information was told to the detectives they started to think that maybe the rape did not really happen. The detectives start to criticize her about why her story differs each time. Marie deals with this by recanting her story to make the detectives happy. Once the detectives found out about her troubled past and lewd behavior, they stopped giving their all to the case.
“Unbelievable” highlights the aftermath of rape and what a victim has to endure to catch their rapist. The series does a wonderful job of explictly describing what happens and the prcedures taken after a rape occurs.
The Perfect Guy: Media Review
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Author: M.B.
Word count: 348
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Media portrays power-based interpersonal violence in numerous ways. One way is in the movie, “The Perfect Guy”, which is about a women, Leah Vaughn, who gets into a relationship with what seems like a charming man, Carter Duncan. Their relationship seems great at the beginning of the movie. Carter meets Leah’s parents and friends and is super caring towards Leah. This all ended quickly after an incident with Carter being violent, causing Leah to break up with him. The events that follow are huge indicators of power-based interpersonal violence. Power-based interpersonal violence may commonly be viewed as domestic abuse, but there are many different forms. In this essay, I will argue the different forms of interpersonal violence that is portrayed in “The Perfect Guy” and can be seen in real life.
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Carter seems like an intelligent, perfect guy to Leah when they first start dating, until one day he suddenly becomes violent with another man when him and Leah are at a gas station. This set off a red flag for Leah, leading her to break up with Carter the next night. Their relationship ending did not sit well with Carter. After their breakup, Carter begins harassing Leah. He stalks her at work and at home. He also calls her nonstop, causing Leah to have to change her phone number numerous times. This all led to Leah getting a restraining order against Carter. Carter tries to plea with Leah numerous times, by saying “You know I’d never hurt you right?”. This shows the manipulation Carter tries to play in her head, by trying to make excuses for the harassment he caused because it was never actually violent. Harassment and stalking are a major form of interpersonal violence that people may not look at bad because it is physically harmful. But they are huge forms of power-based interpersonal violence because it is a pattern of behavior that is being used to establish power or control over somebody else. These things cause fear for a person, which can be overlooked by other people since there is no harm being done. Anything that is seen as a person asserting control or power over somebody else is something to be aware of so that you know that this is a form of power-based interpersonal violence.
Lady Gaga, "Till It Happens To You," Media Review
Author: K.B:
Word Count: 331
Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmWBrN7QV6Y
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Lady Gaga is a powerful singer who really makes this song powerful from her voice and lyrics. “Til It Happens To You” depicts the message behind not really knowing what a power-based interpersonal violence relationship is like unless you are in one. She repeatedly sings “til it happens to you, you don’t know how it feels,” indicating that people truly never know what someone is going through until they have experienced it themselves. These types of relationships are all so different and unique that stereotyping one is never going to be correct. In this essay, I will argue the point on how people never truly know the effects of interpersonal violence relationships unless they are in one.
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Everyone falls victim to stereotyping victims of sexual abuse, as well as, stereotyping the relationships of domestic abuse. Watching the music video of “Til It Happens To You” really shows the effects of interpersonal violence relationships. You see women who are truly hurt and broken, many doubting their worth. In the video, they portray the image of low self-worth, by having the victims write their thoughts on their arm. Some of these included, “sometimes I hate myself,” “believe me,” and “I am unworthy.” The fact that the victims had to say to “believe me” should be a wake up call to everyone. We should be the ones helping victims, rather than stereotyping them. Another lyric is, “You say I’ll pull myself together, pull it together, you’ll be fine, tell me, what the hell do you know?,” this is an example of a typical stereotype. We truly do not know what it is like so how are we the ones to say to “pull yourself together?” I believe as bystanders, we need to be the ones reaching out to victims and giving them their voice back, by standing up for them and speaking up.
Hozier, “Cherry Wine”: Media Review Post
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdSCCwtNEjA
Author: T.M.
Word Count: 427
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At the surface, it’s easy to appreciate the song “Cherry Wine” due to Hozier’s romantic, gentle voice and the beautiful fingerpicked guitar chords but if one listens to the lyrics, the picture this song portrays is anything but romantic and beautiful. This song sheds light on the dual nature of abusive relationships and the manipulation of power that characterizes them. While it is easier to recognize the signs of power-based interpersonal violence, it can be harder to accept when you are experiencing it. “Cherry Wine” shows that the vulnerability created through power and authority dynamics as well as genuine affection can twist violence into passion and abuse into love, making it extremely difficult to realize abusive behaviors in partners. Hozier’s “Cherry Wine” is the perfect example of this struggle that so many victims of abusive relationships have dealt with.
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The speaker in “Cherry Wine” tries to see his partner’s abuse as connected with feeling loved to cope with and even justify her violence. This is shown in the lyrics “The way she tells me I'm hers and she is mine / Open hand or closed fist would be fine / The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine”. Because the abuser holds all control, the speaker tries to think that there is some level of equality between them to cope; that they share in ownership of each other. The speaker’s denial of his partner’s abuse is also shown using contrasts in the lines, “Her eyes and words are so icy / Oh, but she burns / Like rum on the fire” and “Her fight and fury is fiery / Oh, but she loves / Like sleep to the freezing”. In addition, by comparing blood to cherry wine, the speaker denies the true horror of his situation. The resistance of victims to recognize their partner as an abuser is just one issue that encompasses the massive subject of sex and resistance. Whether you interpret the speaker of “Cherry Wine” as being appeasing or truly admiring his partner, the varying perceptions of these lyrics show how complicated the feelings of victims who experience power-based interpersonal violence are and the difficulties of leaving an abusive relationship.
*It is important to note that despite Hozier’s song focusing on a woman displaying these behaviors, the music video that accompanies it shows a man being abusive. This enforces the idea that power-based interpersonal violence is not experienced in one type of relationship or by one sex.
Safe Haven Review
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GK
Word Count: 378
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Safe Haven is my all-time favorite movie, featuring some of my favorite actors and educational scenarios. Katie Feldman is a character who has just escaped from a toxic and abusive relationship with a man named Kevin. She sneaks away and travels to a small town in order to go unrecognized. She finds herself falling in love with the community and with a widower named Alex. Katie is seen mentally dealing with a lot of trauma and pain from her past relationship. Kevin controlled everything she did. Alex works patiently to gain that trust and protect Katie. Her persistent, drunk, ex husband finds where she is and attempts to bring her back to his home. Kevin holds a gun to Katie, and in the midst of the tussle, Kevin ends up getting shot. In this essay, I will argue that past relationship trauma affects people’s trust and love.
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Katie struggles to get comfortable when she arrives, and not just because she is the new girl in town. Trust is something that had been broken in her life and is hard to rebuild. Katie’s past trauma leaves her constantly on her toes and anxious: “Because being comfortable meant she might lower her guard, and she could not let that happen.” If Katie allowed herself to get comfortable, she would let down her guard that she had built up over time. She currently associates trust as is something negative and disappointing.
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Past traumatic love affects any and all future relationships in some way. Katie’s scars from Kevin’s abuse were still fresh and raw. Likewise, Alex dealt with scars from losing his wife to cancer. Trauma makes people scared to love again, and scared to give their heart to something or someone. Together, they work to mend their broken hearts: “I truly believe that while love can hurt, love can also heal.” Love is also something that can help mend hearts.
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Past relationship trauma affects people’s trust and love in many different ways, therefore, it is ok if someone is slower to trust, slower to love, slower to return back to normal. Hesitation is the moment someone is letting their heart decide if it is ok to trust again. It is ok if someone is not ready. Healing looks different for everyone.