Violence in the Media against Women and Girls
Over the past four years, the number of violence scenes on television shows has nearly doubled. ... (Singh 1) These shows included violence against women and girls, which included psychological and physical abuse such as rape, mutilation and other assaults. One of the most appalling affects of these television shows is promoting insensitivity to violence in the real world against females. ... Violence has become like a drug as viewers begin to develop a tolerance for it, and media “pushers” give them steadily more. (Wekesser 26) Entertainment programs encourage viewers to guard themselves against the full impact of what they see on television. As viewers watch scenes of violence against women and girls, individuals may feel overwhelmed by these images of murder and mayhem. ... (Bok 69) According to the 1993 American Psychological Association’s study on media violence, higher levels of viewing violence in the media correlates with increased aggressive behavior and increased acceptance of aggressive attitudes. ... Sexual violence in the media is common. It includes explicit sexualized violence against women, such as rape and images of torture, murder, and mutilation. (Egendorf 110) One of the most gruesome shows depicting violence against women is the series of the X-Files. ... In another episode, there is a monster that preys on overweight women. ... “Carnage without emotion” is necessary for many who desire a refined “aestheticization” of the experience of violence. ... ” In order to receive entertainment from media violence, they begin to erect barriers between explicit violence images and real-life violence. (Bok 74) In the series Smallville, women are always depicted as victims who need to be saved. In one episode, a guy had the power to clone himself and dates both two girls, Lana and Chloe. ... Lana attempted to escape, but the man threw her against her car and she fainted. ... In Buffy The Vampire Slayer, violence there is a great amount of violence against women shown. ... Many studies have been conducted investigating the effect of media violence. It has been hypothesis that the numerous portray of brutality and violence against women and children in the media as victims of sexual assault and other violent acts encourages the battering and sexual harassment in real life. Research concerning violent pornography has shown that the combination of violence and sexual images contributes to the desensitization of violence against women and encourages “antisocial sentiments” toward women. ... These scenes reduce the inhibitions against violent behavior that society condones. The continuous depiction of screen violence has the effect of desensitizing viewers to the horror of violence and can reduce sympathy for victims. One dangerous effect is that the enormous amount of viewing violence may result in violent behavior being regarded as “normal” and socially acceptable. (Reid 397) Role of films that perpetuate the male aggression against women demonstrated by Donnerstein in a 1980 study, found that viewing sexually aggressive films by men promoted later aggression toward women because “repeated association of females with the victim of observed violence increases the aggression-eliciting stimulus properties of a female.” (Reid 398) The aggressor role is taught to men and women are influence into the role of the victim, contributing to the perpetuation of violence in “real life”.