Thursday 9 March 2017

How Television Shows Are Fueling Abusive Relationships


Abusive Relationship Stories
-by Samantha Doll

I thought I was watching silly, brainless, but ultimately harmless car crash television.

I didn't realise I was signing up to witness ever-increasing displays of misogyny and bullying being normalised on national TV.

I honestly believe the psychologists on #MarriedAtFirstSight need to be de-registered by the #APS for failing in their duty of care - for deliberately encouraging women to enter into relationships with controlling, lying, insulting and abusive men; putting ratings above their safety.

Every week or so in Australia, yet another woman is murdered by her husband or boyfriend. So do we really need a TV show that weekly encourages women NOT to run from glaring red flags of control, anger, disrespect and violence in their male partners?

The leading cause of death for young adults in this country is suicide, often precipated by bullying. Do we really want our highest rated TV show to be one that sets up a Lord of the Flies style victimisation of the youngest female member of the show by the oldest male, with the vast majority of the rest of the group joining in on the bullying?

I know, I know, controversy creates ratings. But #Channel9 and #Endemol have gone too far this time, actually putting the majority of their audience off-side with their tolerance of this disgusting behaviour.
Because Nick and Sharon might gave been a touching love story, but who really gives a fuck now that they've been exposed as liars and bullies?

And everyone may love to hate Andrew, but what does it say about our society when a man can be blatantly abusive to his wife on national TV - call her "frigid" and claim he "owns" her - and yet keep her AND his media job without a word of caution or correction?

Viewers don't enjoy a show where the bad guys win and the good guys get gaslighted. Viewers won't keep watching a show with almost no likeable characters, when the few likeable ones don't get a happy ending.

I'm not sure the season they are currently trying to cast will be watched by many. I hope nobody applies to go on it. Certainly no woman with any sense of self-worth could after seeing this season.


Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

No comments:

Post a Comment