Domestic Violence. It’s a subject that we often don’t want to talk about, however, we need to do so in order to save lives.
This month brings attention to many issues within our communities, including bullying, breast cancer, and domestic violence. Domestic violence especially hits home with RIZZARR, because many teens and young adults often deal with domestic violence within their relationships. Yet, and unfortunately, many do not know where to turn or how to overcome the issue… We hope through our platform we can help them.
Interestingly, many are unaware that Domestic Violence Awareness Month started from the first Day of Unity observed in October of 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. It was created to help abused women to nationally to connect with advocates who were working to end violence against women and their children. Years later In October of 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was officially observed. Additionally, in that same year the first national toll-free hotline also began.
Although the observation of Domestic Violence Awareness Month is such a remarkable step within society, it seems now more important than ever that we help teens and young adults who are in relationships with domestic violence. It is especially important as the issue seems to be coming up time and time again within the media.
For example, recently, Rihanna and Chris Brown were making headlines, and it was not because their music is topping charts again. The former couple, which broke up in 2009 after Brown physically assaulted Rihanna, seems to be rekindling a romance. They’ve been spotted out and about together and after a lot of media speculation, they decided to just let their affections hang loose by kissing in nightclub a few nights ago.
We all know where this is going. We’ve seen this play out before. Boy meets girl. Boy beats girl. Girl leaves boy. Girl returns to boy. Given the highly public and highly violent circumstances of Rihanna’s beating three years ago, there’s been a considerable backlash towards her recent rendezvous with Breezy.
To my surprise, a lot of the animosity in comment threads across the internet seems to be against Rihanna and very little of it seems to be against Brown. People agree that continuing this relationship is a bad idea, but a lot of the scrutiny has been leveled at the victim of the abuse. This trend is a persistent volksgeist in our society where the woman is blamed for the actions of the man. If he beats her a second time – and it will happen– people will point the finger at her. It’s her fault right? She made a choice to go back to him right?
Nevermind the host of deeply entrenched psychological reasons victims return to their abusers, she easily could have just stayed away. Despite this, the truth is he took away her choice the moment he began to abuse her. The public has a short memory. Everyone seems to have gotten over how Brown violently attacked his girlfriend and seems to have forgotten that he never took sincere responsibility for his wrongdoing. I, for one, am tired of the Ikes and Tinas, the Bobbys and Whitneys.
Domestic violence is a societal ill, and statistics reveal that over three million women will be abused by their husbands or boyfriends this year in the U.S. alone. This sobering reality seems to get lost in the gossip columns and tabloid fodder. Certainly, I nor others are here to judge their relationship nor the relationships of other women and men. No one can dare understand the pain that comes from these relationships and how to overcome it unless you are in them.
Therefore, before we begin to judge the two of them and others who are in similar situations, maybe we should offer help and encouragement to them to realize their self-worth and the importance of their life. And also as well instead of focusing so much on Rihanna and Chris Brown’s relationships, maybe it’s about time we start to focus on domestic violence in general… what we can do to help others in similar situations.
We need to stop talking “about” and start helping… We need to be the change and it needs to start right now. If you or anyone you know is in an abusive relationship and is seeking help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Also, if you or someone you know is facing a domestic abuse situation, here are some moving companies that move domestic abuse victims for free. We hope this is helpful.
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