What About Male Domestic Violence?

According to the Domestic Violence Research Center, like all domestic violence statistics, male victims of domestic violence are underreported. However, the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute of Justice estimate 835,000 men are victimized by domestic violence in addition to 1.5 million women every year.

Men? Where are the shelters accepting anyone other than women and children?

Unfortunately, we didn't hear anyone mention male victims during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

Read more here.  

Distributing Domestic Violence Via Camera Phones

Domestic violence used to occur behind closed doors, but technology like video bloggers, Twitter, camera phones, and TMZ create a culture almost used to seeing these depictions. 

Access to this violence didn't begin with those horrible photos of Rihanna after she was attacked by that hoodlum Chris Brown, or when football player and Dancing with the Stars alum, Chad Johnson headed-butted his wife Evelyn Lozada.

This type of violence occurred behind closed doors for probably as long as doors existed, but the difference between then and now is viewers' access to the violence and viewers' ability to chime in, to "like," and comment about these harrowing acts.

Remember after the 2012 Grammy's, when some of Chris Brown's fans invited him to beat them too? (SBW is engaged in a Two Person Boycott against Chris Brown).

@sarahleighlove

I'd let Chris Brown beat me up anytime ;) #womanbeater

@ilySunnyLove

Chris brown can beat me any dayyyyy damn he's so sexy

Recently, two videos have been circulating the Internet that feature men striking black women. A camera phone video that has garnered the name "The Uppercut," shows a Cleveland bus driver arguing with a female passenger. Witnesses to the violence claim, 25 year old Shi'dea Lane, struck and spit on the driver Artis Hughes, who responded by punching her in the face and physically throwing her off of the bus.

Another video shows 19-year-old Def Jam rapper, Lil Reese arguing with a woman in her home when he threatens to shoot her. After she calls him the b-word and the n-word, he punches her in the face until she falls down. He then proceeds to kick her, drag her about the floor, and stomp on her body. He claims the the video is years old and was posted by "haters." She says it occurred last year and the violence all began when she asked him to leave her home.

Is our culture becoming desensitized to these acts? Why are some people defending and cheering these men on?

Read more.

High School Students Wear Blackface, Imitate Chris Brown Beating Rihanna

 

Having attended many a pep rally during high school, we remember what took place: the marching band got students excited. There was a ton of clapping and stomping. Student leaders gave speeches. Cheerleaders waved pom poms. Football players ran around. And then came the blackface.

Yep, that's how it happened at our high school. Chanting, clapping, blackface. In that order. Every year. Without fail.  

Well, not exactly.  

But last Friday at Waverly High School in New York, students performed a skit while wearing blackface. They trotted out and beat each other, seeking to recreate a version of Chris Brown's highly-publicized 2009 beating of Rihanna.   

School superintendent Joseph Yelich has received many complaints. "Ultimately, our administrators are going to need to meet with the whole student body to set clear expectations for our behavior and the impact it has on all people," he said.

Still, some note that students performed in blackface at last year's pep rally. And both times, students, parents, media, and administrators sat idly by during the festivities. No one stopped the skit. They merely cheered it on, took pictures, and posted them on Facebook.

Read more here.  

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Find out more here and here.

Speaking of Women's History Month...The Best and Worst States For Women

iVillage recently conducted a study of the nation's states to see which of them are the best for women. They compared six criteria including: Women's economic well-being [health insurance, preventative services, overall health, domestic violence laws] Parenting [affordable childcare, parental leave] Female representation [state government, Congress] Reproductive rights [family planning, abortion barriers, contraception coverage by insurance] and Education [four-year college degrees] Here's the list: 1. Connecticut 2. Hawaii 3. Maryland 4. Massachusetts 5. California 6. Vermont 7. New York 8. Minnesota 9. Washington  10. New Hampshire 11. New Jersey 12. Colorado 13. Maine 14. Illinois 15. Alaska 16. Rhode Island 17. Delaware 18. Oregon  19. Virginia 20. Wisconsin 21. Michigan 22. Arizona 23. New Mexico 24. North Carolina 25. Georgia 26. Montana 27. Nevada 28. Iowa 29. Kansas 30. Pennsylvania 31. Florida 32. Ohio 33. Wyoming 34. Nebraska 35. Utah 36. Missouri 37. North Dakota 38. Texas 39. South Dakota 40. Tennessee 41. Idaho 42. South Carolina 43. Indiana 44. Louisiana 45. Alabama 46. Kentucky 47. West Virginia 48. Arkansas 49. Oklahoma 50. Mississippi

Read more here.

Grammys and Twitter Recep: Fans Say "Chris Brown can beat me"

Chris Brown performed twice on last night's Grammy awards show.  He also won the Grammy for Best R&B album for "F.A.M.E."  [It's supposed to stand for Forgive All My Enemies - see below for my stance on forgiveness.]

But let's not forget about another type of fame from a few years ago.  In his acceptance speech, Brown even thought to thank his fans who stuck with him after his well-publicized beating of ex-girlfriend, Rihanna.

I'm not quite sure if his performances were any good because as soon as he came onto the screen, I turned away.  No beaters are allowed in my personal life or on my television.  I wondered why the Grammy organizers couldn't find any other less violent performers.  

[I mean, there's a reason why R. Kelly doesn't get booked on major awards shows anymore - because we still don't forgive him.  Okay, maybe that's not the reason but that's how it works in my mind.]

Apparently, some of Brown's Twitter fans seem not to see his beatings as a bad thing and many of them claim to welcome it.  That's right. 

As not to call these female fans insensitive, misguided, or just-plain ignorant, you can judge for yourself.  These girls need some serious help because domestic violence is NOT LOL-worthy.  #womanbeater - Really?  An 'honor' if Chris Brown hits them?  

I hope that if these ladies ever do have an experience with domestic violence [if they have not already], they are not so forgiving.  Let's work to break the cycle and not make light of it.  While it is not okay to blame the victim, let the rest of us continue to NOT forgive and NOT forget. Join us in our Two Person Boycott. 

@sarahleighlove

I'd let Chris Brown beat me up anytime ;) #womanbeater

@ilySunnyLove

Chris brown can beat me any dayyyyy damn he's so sexy

@KatyyMyLady

I know Rihanna didn't like it much, but Chris brown you can punch me in the face all you want. #sorrynotsorry #sexy

@Muffin5685

Chris Brown u can punch me in the face any time u want!!!! #facialsweats

@kelllllx

RT @nicolebodea: RT @ridddlesss: Any girl that hates on Chris Brown is stupid. Do you realize that it would be an honour if he hit you?

@alexwilsnn

chris brown your sexy you can punch me in the face anyday #imkindanotkidding

@____Tanisha

I just want Chris Brown To Be My Boyf he can beat me all he want lol

@melissamyx

chris brown looks soo hot with blonde hair! he can beat me any day