Social Media and Domestic Violence

From Survivor to
Superhero
Social media and the changing
face of domestic violence.

Sunday, March 17, 13

Domestic Violence Monument in SecondLife


“There is no binary division to be made between
what one says and what one does not say; we
must try to determine the different ways of not
saying such things, how those who can and those
who cannot speak of them are distributed, which
type of discourse is authorized, or which form of
discretion is required in either case. There is not
one but many silences, and they are an integral
part of the strategies that underlie and permeate
discourses” (Foucault, 1979, p. 27).


The Duluth Model
Agencies work together to try new approaches.
When agencies—from 911 to the courts—work together to create
policies and procedures that interweave together, the whole system
works in coordination to more effectively hold batterers accountable.
Each agency has a part in identifying and rectifying gaps that hurt
women. Each agency can do its job better.

It keeps women safe because it is developed from their own
voices of experience.
Sometimes policies or plans that are developed and thought to help
women who are battered actually cause more harm than good. The
Duluth Model approach keeps the voices of victims central to any
policies or plans that are made by including victims and the advocates
who work closely with them in all decision making.

We realize that to keep women safe, we have to help abusive men
change.
When the Duluth Model first began, women told us that they wanted us
to work with their partners—that helping their partners change is what
would most keep them safe. So, we began nonviolence courses to help
abusive men look more closely at their actions, intentions and beliefs
and the effect their actions had on their partners and others. Because it
helps men get to the core of their actions and beliefs, our men’s
nonviolence program is the most replicated program for men who batter
in the world.


“When discussing victims, the public often holds them
personally responsible for the abuse. Victims are blamed for
provoking the abuse because of their behavior. They are
also blamed for not leaving because they are too weak, not
in control, or too passive. These explanations place the
blame directly on the victim. However, when discussing the
abusers, people use explanations — alcohol use and
childhood abuse — that place the blame on factors
external to the individual” (Berns, 2009, p. 30).


http://www.policymic.com/articles/26810/why-blaming-rihanna-for-staying-with-chris-brown-is-so-wrong


First, domestic violence is common and deadly, and being a celebrity isn’t
enough to escape it. It is the leading cause of injury to women — more than
car accidents, muggings, and rape combined. At least one in three women
worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused during her
lifetime. Yet most commentators haven’t examined the pervasiveness or roots
of domestic violence in our society, but have instead focused on belittling
Rihanna’s intelligence and chiding her for not being a better role model.
What we should be talking about is how misogyny runs so deep in our culture
that even wealthy and talented young women like Rihanna (and Tina Turner,
Halle Berry, and Madonna, etc.) not only can be victims of violence, but also
get blamed for it.
Although Chris Brown has received his share of (well-deserved) criticism,
what about all the other celebrity abusers? Where is the outrage at Charlie
Sheen, who shot his fiancé, beat his girlfriend, and received a restraining
order from his ex-wife? What about Sean Penn, who beat Madonna with a
baseball bat? And Sean Connery, who verbally and physically abused his first
wife? The list goes on, and there’s definitely a racial element to the
discrepancy in outrage that should be explored. Yet all these men are
incredibly successful, and seemingly paying little or no consequences for
their crimes. No one asks why they’re not better role models — they’re just
boys being boys and they've done their time. Who do we continue to
demonize? Rihanna. And the message we send? Violence against women is
no big deal.

Julie Strupp, http://www.policymic.com/articles/26810/why-blaming-rihanna-for-staying-with-chris-brown-is-so-wrong


Transformative
Practices

• Reconstructing Social Identity

• Self Narrate Victimhood

• Collect Information

• Establish Community

• Gamify Domestic Abuse


Reconstructing Social Identity


PostSecret

• “I
have
tried
to
create
a

nonjudgemental
“place”
where

every
secret
is
treated
respectfully.

In
this
safe
environment,
where

there
is
no
social
cost
for
exposing
a

guarded
secret
to
millions,
it
might

be
easier
for
someone
to
confess
an

embarrassing
story,
hidden
act
of

kindness,
or
sexual
taboo.
People

have
told
me
that
facing
their
secret

on
a
postcard
and
releasing
it
to
a

stranger
have
allowed
them
to

uncover
passions,
experiences,

hopes,
regrets,
and
fears
that
have

been
too
painful
to
otherwise

acknowledge”
(Warren,
2007,

Introduction).


Eyes as seeing the unseen


Physically externalizing
emotional pain/abuse
in relation to the
human body


Spatializing abuse as
physical rooms/spaces


Posted on June 20, 2009
by postsecret

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profitina on October 24, 2009
People compliment me on my compassion, then are shocked at how bitchy I can be
at those closest to me.

profitina on October 24, 2009

People always find it ironic how compassionate I can be towards others when I'm
capable of being a total bitch to those closest to me

silverbullet108 on October 1, 2009
#3 made me smile.

trishDCMA on September 29, 2009

This makes me sad. not only because they ARE sad, but because I never really got
to know my father, and will never have the chance to. RIP!

amirahsyuhada on September 12, 2009

I have tears in my eyes immediately when I read number 3 postcard, sometimes
children never know that their father love them more than anything until something
happen.

lauraloowho on August 29, 2009

the world peace one applys to me it makes me feel like i will never be able to
accomplish anything good in the world if i cannot even resolve problems in my own
life


Self-Narratives
Narratives are not just a
conveying a story, they also are
“constitutive” of reality


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOdPLr4zyNU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-luJWp2_SI


Connect Access

Visibility Dangers


• “Compared with games, reality
is disconnected. Games build
stronger social bonds and lead
to more active social networks.
The more time we spend
interacting within our social
networks, the more likely we
are to generate a subset of
positive emotions known as
“prosocial emotions”
(McGonigal, 2011, p. 82).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shd7qiQ1gLc


Thank you

http://cutecattheory.com
@cutecattheory

Social Media and Domestic Violence

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