A new report from the Parents Television Council, Women in Peril, found a 120% increase in depictions of violence against women on television since 2004. (In the same time period, violence that occurred irrespective of gender only increased by 2%.)
Cumulatively, across all study periods and all networks, the most frequent type of violence was beating (29%), followed by credible threats of violence (18%), shooting (11%), rape (8%), stabbing (6%), and torture (2%). Violence against women resulted in death 19% of the time. Violence towards women or the graphic consequences of violence tends overwhelmingly to be depicted (92%) rather than implied (5%) or described (3%).
Even more disturbingly, there has been a 400% increase in the depiction of teen girls as victims of violence.
The report notes that the portrayals of violence against women, especially young women, "with increasing frequency, or as a trivial, even humorous matter, the networks may be contributing to an atmosphere in which young people view aggression and violence against women as normative, even acceptable." (Emphasis mine)
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While I am normally VERY on board with the type of critical analysis offered by a website like feministing.com, I am not sure I appreciate any analysis coming from the Parents Television Council. The PTC is known for their hysteria baiting and disregard of any and all "bad" things on TV, as if these problems don't exist in real life.
I totally agree that violence against women is horrific, but it does have a place on TV, if that place is to critically analyze what violence against women means, and to acknowledge, YES it DOES EXIST. In reading the report, the PTC says that there was a dramatic increase in intimate partner violence on TV, which I view as a possibly positive step in television depictions. TV is FINALLY acknowledging that most violence directed towards women is those we know, and not stranger danger lurking in the bushes.
It is true that TV has a long way to go before it really offers any sort of relevant critique on gender and gender issues, but we must acknowledge that violence against women exists, and if that means showing it on TV, then so be it. Remember, the PTC thinks that Mad Men is an inappropriate show because it dares to challenge our commonly held assumptions about the "good old days," family values, and human behavior. Mad Men is also one of the most analytical shows to ever exist.
It's not that showing violence is necessarily bad all the time; it's does that showing of violence promote a better understanding of what is going on? We should judge TV that way, not with ridiculous blanket statistics about "OMG there is more violence on TV, everybody panic!!!"
Yeah. The few times I've seen violence against women depicted, it was intended to be horrific and to clearly paint it as _wrong_ and monstrous. Now, you could argue that any depiction of violence against women would reinforce it, sort of like how they say you can't make a truly anti-war movie, but this study isn't saying that (and yes, I read the whole thing). It's just listing examples.
Agreed. I can agree that violence against women in Family Guy can be problematic. But Law & Order: SVU? While I'm kind of disgusted by the show, if most of the victims aren't women, then I think there's a break with reality that I find disturbing.
I'm also pretty confused about there methodology and definitions. With all the procedurals on TV, I'm sure there have been more female victims than that. It says 8 victims on FOX, but I watch Bones, and 8 female victims barely covers one show for a season, let alone all of them. Likewise, how could 8 female victims on NBC cover all the Law & Orders? Are they not counting victims that are dead when an episode begins? Are they only counting violence that occurs on screen? Because I find rape jokes on Family Guy a hell of a lot more offensive than a shooting of a female police officer on a procedural.
The study only looked at shows aired during the spring "sweeps" periods of May 2004 and May 2009, so the figures are for roughly a month, not an entire year or season.
So, according to this report, in 2004, 5% of the victims of violence on TV were female, and 2009, about 11% were.
What is the "right" number? I would have imagined that the "right" number would be about 50% (since I would prefer equal representation in all dramatic roles) or about 45% (since the U.S. Department of Justice lists that as the percentage of violent crimes in which the victim was female).
Is the "right" number actually less than 5%?
While I am normally VERY on board with the type of critical analysis offered by a website like feministing.com, I am not sure I appreciate any analysis coming from the Parents Television Council. The PTC is known for their hysteria baiting and disregard of any and all "bad" things on TV, as if these problems don't exist in real life.
I totally agree that violence against women is horrific, but it does have a place on TV, if that place is to critically analyze what violence against women means, and to acknowledge, YES it DOES EXIST. In reading the report, the PTC says that there was a dramatic increase in intimate partner violence on TV, which I view as a possibly positive step in television depictions. TV is FINALLY acknowledging that most violence directed towards women is those we know, and not stranger danger lurking in the bushes.
It is true that TV has a long way to go before it really offers any sort of relevant critique on gender and gender issues, but we must acknowledge that violence against women exists, and if that means showing it on TV, then so be it. Remember, the PTC thinks that Mad Men is an inappropriate show because it dares to challenge our commonly held assumptions about the "good old days," family values, and human behavior. Mad Men is also one of the most analytical shows to ever exist.
It's not that showing violence is necessarily bad all the time; it's does that showing of violence promote a better understanding of what is going on? We should judge TV that way, not with ridiculous blanket statistics about "OMG there is more violence on TV, everybody panic!!!"
It's irresponsible to report on this without mentioning the context in which the PTC operates. Their mission and their previous actions throws the entire study into question.
This is, after all, the group that called Everwood "dangerous" because it showed a Jewish family but "denied" the existence of Christians (simply by virtue of not having any Christian characters).
Analyzing the presence of violence against women on TV would be very useful, but it needs to come from another source. A more legitimate, trustworthy source that doesn't have shady goals.
Shorter example for anyone unfamiliar with them: The members of the PTC likely listen to Rush Limbaugh and nod along in approval. Let's not give them attention.
I've done some assorted reading on this and this seems pretty patchy (as will my response to it, I'm sure).
What's the context? How does violence against women (VAW) on television compare to violence against men (VAM) in terms of rate and in terms of type? What's the end result?
Much of the reading I've done suggested that VAM is still the overwhelming majority (in the range of 90-95% of depictions). Any equalizing (to try to bring it in line with reality http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/vsx2.htm) of this will either require an enormous reduction in VAM, increase in VAW or a combination thereof. Superficially, that doesn't look good for women, but the result would be fair depictions, at least in terms of rate. The quality of the depictions are another can of worms altogether and are certainly worth looking at.
Additionally, if most of the perpetrators of violence get caught and are punished that sends the message that violence is wrong/bad/undesirable/etc. Isn't it better to have VAW/M depicted as wrong than to have aspects of it ignored/swept under the rug/etc?
It seems like a great deal more analysis and research needs to be done before any conclusions can be drawn from this.
I have seen a Shart increase in this over the last 15 years, especially the last 5. We could all pick on the Usual Suspects ( particularly Animated Shows like Family Guy and South Park) But even the Shows where their Main Character(s) are supposed to have an overdeveloped morality and sense of human Justice (Clark on Smallville) committed acts of violence against women this week. The Scariest/horrifying/depressing part was a reviewer for the episode (Mainia.com)who has been hyperly critical of the show throughout the season specifically commented in his review that He liked seeing the female character (Tess) this way, and alluded to his belief that she enjoyed this violence against her and he through she "liked the rough stuff in the bedroom". I am tired of this Victim-blaming Bullshit! The Rape Culture strikes again...Damn it
I definitely agree with what is being said. I would be very interested in seeing the CONTEXT in which these violent acts were portrayed on television. If they are supposed to make a statement and make people think about violence against women, I think it should be considered differently than other instances that are just gratuitous, senseless acts of violence against women.
Oy...why is everybody concerned with sex and language? When there is the issue of violence against women in tv?
There is a serious problem with reporting these things in terms of percentages when the numbers are so low. If you had a low crime community where there wasn't a murder in 2007 and there was an murder in 2008 it would be an increase which approaches infinity. That rate of change information would be pretty much useless however.
is this more or less problematic than violence against men being portrayed on television?
"with increasing frequency, or as a trivial, even humorous matter, the networks may be contributing to an atmosphere in which young people view aggression and violence against women as normative, even acceptable."
but it's nice to see that sociology is as humorous as ever.
TV violence against women causes real-life violence against women, just like video game violence causes real-life violence.