Jay Z and Ray Rice Cases Show Our Savage Hypocrisy on Domestic Violence

[canada-man]

Recently, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended running back Ray Rice after it was reported an unnamed official, working for the sport's governing body, received footage five months ago showing the athlete striking his then-fiancee (now wife) unconscious in a hotel elevator. Rice is now unable to play, and his team, the Baltimore Ravens, have terminated his contract.

A story dated March 27 suggests the NFL authorities had the tape, and Goodell was aware of it. As criminal evidence, the NFL says it was not allowed to view the CCTV footage. Yet if Goodell knew a copy had been received by the NFL, he should have reported it then.

Goodell's dereliction of civic/moral duty, assuming the above is true, is its own matter. Morally vacant behaviour from corporate officers long pre-dates this story. Instead, keep in mind that Rice's fiancee Janay was also arrested for assault for the same incident, the difference being that Rice rendered her unconscious in his response to her assault; for if they were both arrested and charged with assault, and she was knocked out by Rice with a single blow, must she not have thrown the first punch?

The charges against both were dismissed, possibly due to admissions of violence from both, or neither wanted the other charged, or other reasons. Co-mutual domestic violence (DV) is sadly typical in troubled or simply bad relationships.

A study appearing in the May 2007 edition of the American Journal of Public Health reported that almost half of DV incidents in the US are co-mutual, with 70% of non-co-mutual assaults committed by women, not men. But you wouldn't know that listening to feminists, the US president, and US vice-president, who paint DV as largely, or exclusively, male-on-female.


In June, Hope Solo, the winning goalkeeper on the US Olympic women's football team in 2008 and 2012, was arrested and charged after allegedly hitting her sister with a broomstick repeatedly and punching her nephew likewise in the face.

The response to Solo losing it on her relatives, one a minor, was silence. No demands for her to be barred from her sport indefinitely, no calls for the National Women's Soccer League president's resignation for failing to act aggressively enough to satisfy... who?

In the case of American football players, it's feminists and opportunistic politicians. But what of female athletes of any kind, as well as women generally? There is no outraged constituency to appease when a woman is accused of or caught committing DV.

In May, a lift security camera video surfaced showing singer Solange Knowles beating up her brother-in-law, rap musician Jay Z, and the reaction of people was at best "Meh", and at worst, "LOL!" Was Knowles released from her singing contracts? Did her fans rail against her? No.

The real story is the double standard around what is the necessary level of outrage over DV incidents attributed to celebrities, athletes or anyone else. DV against women by men is regarded as heinous; DV by women against men is regarded as comedic. Same-sex and familial DV are hardly acknowledged despite the statistically high prevalence of both as compared to heterosexual partner DV.


http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/jay-z-ray-rice-cases-show-our-savage-hypocrisy-domestic-violence-1465492

 

[canada-man]

related video.

 

[nobody123]

I'm sorry, I missed the part where Solange Knowles knocked him the fuck out and dragged him out of the elevator by his hair.

To recap: Knowles flailed ineffectively at Jay Z and was instantly pulled away by a bodyguard. Hope Solo assaulted some family members, was arrested and charged. Ray Rice was caught on tape knocking his fiance out and dragging her from the elevator... yet faces no legal repercussions. And you continue to be an idiot.

 

[cdnsimon]

I agree that some type of a double standard exists, and believe that it's deeply ingrained in humanity's ideas and well grounded belief that men are generally larger and have more muscle than women. Men are anatomically larger and have more muscle than women, generally speaking.

With that being said, what you're raising is a broad social issue about gender equality, power, and violence. I believe that the root issue in these cases you've raised (pointed to) is that domestic violence, at the hands of men, is still common, hidden, and a culture for it exists in traditionally male centered groups (sports teams, etc.).

While I think the broad issue you raise is valid, I think that the proportion of women affected by violence from men far exceeds that of men affected by women. Both are important. If this were a triage, more attention would be spent on the areas most deeply affected. Realistically speaking, violence is used by men against women at a far higher proportion than it's used by women against men. I think that's why there is more attention in that area. That isn't to say occurances of violence by women isn't valid, but looking at all assualt cases they are done at the hands of a man against a woman which whom there is some kind of relationship (friends, romantic partners, etc.).

I recommend reading this article and this short video clip about a documentary:
article: http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/03/opinion/powell-football-manhood-suicide/index.html
video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc45-ptHMxo

 

[onthebottom]

The double standard is that men are the source of a MASSIVE majority of violent crime, including domestic violence.

 

[Ashley V]

violence is used by men against women at a far higher proportion than it's used by women against men. I think that's why there is more attention in that area. That isn't to say occurances of violence by women isn't valid, but looking at all assualt cases they are done at the hands of a man against a woman which whom there is some kind of relationship (friends, romantic partners, etc.).

In reported cases perhaps. I think actual cases would paint a different picture showing women to have a lot less restraint in physically lashing out males. Males may do more damage when they do simply because they are generally the larger of the sexes but I honestly believe more women hit men.

 

[cdnsimon]

A study appearing in the May 2007 edition of the American Journal of Public Health reported that almost half of DV incidents in the US are co-mutual, with 70% of non-co-mutual assaults committed by women, not men. But you wouldn't know that listening to feminists, the US president, and US vice-president, who paint DV as largely, or exclusively, male-on-female.

p.s. I know you mention a study from 2007 but without linking to the study how can anyone commnet on it? Also, as with most things studied at universities, there are some studies that say one thing and other studied that show the exact opposite. A study should be valued based on it's design (ie. scope, specificity of questions asked, sample size, length of study, populations studied, respondance compliance, etc.)

 

[cdnsimon]

In reported cases perhaps. I think actual cases would paint a different picture showing women to have a lot less restraint in physically lashing out males.

I don't know about that. We'd have to agree on how to define restraint, at what point restraint is applicable, etc. If we can generally say that x number out of 100 domestic violence cases are done by men against women, we also need to factor for cases of men against men, women against men, and women against women.

For argument's sake, let's say that you are correct (that women have a lot less rastraint in physical altercations), we'd also have to look at the scope of harm done after the violent act. We could say 'yes, women have less restraint', but the scope of physical harm at the hands of the aggressor also needs to be factored into the discussion. I would say that even if women have less restraint, men do far greater physical damage during violent acts, again generally speaking.

 

[DB123]

Here's the difference in a nutshell.

Ray Rice video: shocking, disturbing, horrifying.

Jay-Z video: funny.

Why? Among other reasons, no one got hurt.

Of course there is a double standard and there are a plethora of reasons for it. Average male build/strength vs. female, societal views of women as victims of abuse and a man who gets slapped around by a woman being a little bitch, (recent) historical opinions on the subject, etc. etc.

Case in point: Judy: my husband beat me. Judy's friend: OMG, we are calling the police NOW!! Get the kids and get out of there! Bill: my wife beat me. Bill's friend" A-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH wait, what? seriously? A-HAHAHAHAHAHAH

It is what it is

 

[canada-man]

I'm sorry, I missed the part where Solange Knowles knocked him the fuck out and dragged him out of the elevator by his hair.

To recap: Knowles flailed ineffectively at Jay Z and was instantly pulled away by a bodyguard. Hope Solo assaulted some family members, was arrested and charged. Ray Rice was caught on tape knocking his fiance out and dragging her from the elevator... yet faces no legal repercussions. And you continue to be an idiot.

Ray Rice lot his job. Hope Solo still have hers and is being promoted. the hypocrites that complain about Ray Rice where laughing at Jay Z becaus they expect men to be women's punching bags and see men getting assaulted and injured comedy

violence is used by men against women at a far higher proportion than it's used by women against men. I think that's why there is more attention in that area. That isn't to say occurances of violence by women isn't valid, but looking at all assualt cases they are done at the hands of a man against a woman which whom there is some kind of relationship (friends, romantic partners, etc.).

CDC Study: More Men than Women Victims of Partner Abuse

http://www.saveservices.org/2012/02/cdc-study-more-men-than-women-victims-of-partner-abuse/


A recent 32-nation study by the University of New Hampshire found female students initiate partner violence as often as male students and controlling behavior exists equally in perpetrators of both sexes.

http://divorcesupport.about.com/od/abusiverelationships/a/male_abuse.htm




Women are ‘more controlling and aggressive than men’ in relationships
Men are often thought to be the more aggressive partner, but a new study suggests this is not the case

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/rela...and-aggressive-than-men-in-relationships.html

Domestic Violence Against Men: Women More Likely To Be 'Intimate Terrorists' With Controlling Behavior In Relationships

http://www.medicaldaily.com/domesti...timate-terrorists-controlling-behavior-290662

 

[james t kirk]

There is a HUGE double standard when it comes to women abusing men.

Watch this video, especially the woman at 2:15

What a piece of work she is.

 

[cdnsimon]

What you've given here are news stories that are reporting studies done. It's not the same thing as a peer reviewed journal article.

CDC Study: More Men than Women Victims of Partner Abuse

http://www.saveservices.org/2012/02/cdc-study-more-men-than-women-victims-of-partner-abuse/

The CDC study mentioned doesn't show what the title of the article says. The CDC infographic for IPV says that 50% of women are victims and 20% of men are IPV victims. Look at the study graphic at the link below.
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/infographic.html

A recent 32-nation study by the University of New Hampshire found female students initiate partner violence as often as male students and controlling behavior exists equally in perpetrators of both sexes.

http://divorcesupport.about.com/od/abusiverelationships/a/male_abuse.htm

Here is a link to the study mentioned (http://pubpages.unh.edu/~mas2/ID41E2.pdf). This is a version of what seems to be someone's speech at a conference, and it seems incomplete at that. Page 5 doesn't have a number of people that actually completed the survey. It's highly suspect that someone will draw conclusions about a study but they don't know how many people actually responded to the survey. Also the paper mentions a lot of figures and tables, but none are present. No data is present in fact. I would not say this is a valid study to reference or draw conclusions from because no data is presented, no statistics (p values, etc.) are presented, the researchers haven't presented any figures or tables, the paper is not from a peer reviewed journal, etc.

Women are ‘more controlling and aggressive than men’ in relationships
Men are often thought to be the more aggressive partner, but a new study suggests this is not the case

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/rela...and-aggressive-than-men-in-relationships.html

This is news article about some research, but there is a concern with the premise of the evolution of the discussion. Aggression and controlling behaviour is not the same thing as violence or violent behaviour. Regardless of this, some looking around comes up with this journal article (that the new article is reporting on):

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ab.21499/pdf

The study summates "Women were found to be more aggressive to their partners than men, whereas men reported more aggression to same‐sex non‐intimates than women. This contrasting pattern of sex differences within the same sample, along with the strong links between control and IPV for both men and women, support the view that IPV is best studied within the context of aggression research, as advocated by Felson (2002, 2006, in press), adopting a “violence perspective” rather than a “gender perspective." (page 53 of the study)

There are several limitations within the study. The primary two being that:
(i) participants were undergraduate students from the University of Lancashire, and all participants needed to be in a relationship at the time of the study or have been in one lasting longer than 1 month. (page 44 & 45 of the study)
(ii) the participants of the stude were 706 women and 398 men. (page 45 of the study)

One of the most interesting results is seen on page 46. Of the women, the study found that a greater frequency of women reported to be victims and perpatrators of verbal aggression, in addition to perpatrators of physical aggression. The study seems to indicate that a greater frequency of men are victims of physical aggression than women, but that result is not statistically significant (no statistical significant seen in the associated p-value in Table 1, page 46). Therefore, the researchers did not find any statistical significance between gender and physical aggression, however, considering that the sample was university students from England, we have to question if this sample is representative of the general UK population, or even Canadian/US population. We can't draw conclusions about the Canadian or US population when most of the population hasn't attended university. About 24% of Canadians have attended university (http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=56) - this is not a majority. It's been reported that less than 10% of the world population has attended university. The problem here is taking this unrepresentative sample and applying it to populations of Canadians or others where most people aren't represented by the group a conclusion is made. It's like saying that 80% of the people on this board have used a sex provider, and then saying 80% of Canadains have used a sex provider. This forum is not a representative sample of the Canadian population.

Domestic Violence Against Men: Women More Likely To Be 'Intimate Terrorists' With Controlling Behavior In Relationships

http://www.medicaldaily.com/domesti...timate-terrorists-controlling-behavior-290662

This is another news article, and it refers to the same two studies prior (the CDC and Bates et. al study). I would not say this news article's conclusion is valid based on the evidence I've already presented.

 

[nobody123]

What's particularly egregious is that while the CDC studies reveal that violence against men exists, and exists on a scale larger than most people would think, the MRA jackasses have to twist and bullshit the data to make it seem even more prevalent than it really is. No better way to defeat your own cause than to be full of shit, thus tempting people to discount the entire issue of violence against men rather than their dadaist take on it. Of course, the MRA "cause" isn't really to highlight violence against men, but to be right fucking assholes about women. Look no further than canada-man's link to saveservices.org, an allegedly anti-domestic violence group that focuses on false allegations rather than actually helping victims.

 

[canada-man]

What's particularly egregious is that while the CDC studies reveal that violence against men exists, and exists on a scale larger than most people would think, the MRA jackasses have to twist and bullshit the data to make it seem even more prevalent than it really is. No better way to defeat your own cause than to be full of shit, thus tempting people to discount the entire issue of violence against men rather than their dadaist take on it. Of course, the MRA "cause" isn't really to highlight violence against men, but to be right fucking assholes about women. Look no further than canada-man's link to saveservices.org, an allegedly anti-domestic violence group that focuses on false allegations rather than actually helping victims.

 

[onthebottom]

I'm getting the sense that Canada-man has been getting bitch slapped...

The difference in all these stats is that my SO could hit me but she couldn't really hurt me and I could kill her.

She and I were talking about the Rice case this weekend, I did say that if your going to spit in a mans face you shouldn't be surprised when you wake up on the floor... is he an ass, yes, was he justified, no, was she surprised, I doubt it.

 

[canada-man]

I'm getting the sense that Canada-man has been getting bitch slapped...

The difference in all these stats is that my SO could hit me but she couldn't really hurt me and I could kill her.

She and I were talking about the Rice case this weekend, I did say that if your going to spit in a mans face you shouldn't be surprised when you wake up on the floor... is he an ass, yes, was he justified, no, was she surprised, I doubt it.

the woman later married ray rice. they already put the incident behind them. they were both arrested for assault.

 

[MRBJX]

The double standard is that men are the source of a MASSIVE majority of violent crime, including domestic violence.

LOL....dude, what man do you know reports when his wife/gf beats his ass?
Get with it. Stats are B.S

 

[MRBJX]

...

The difference in all these stats is that my SO could hit me but she couldn't really hurt me and I could kill her.

Depends what she hit you with...a car might hurt.... Big Man ..just sayin.

 

[Smallcock]

related video.

Insightful interview.

Include me as one of the men boycotting marriage. The thought of marrying a woman is terrifying because of the negative financial, emotional, and social repercussions that could come of it. Committing your life to a human that is emotionally volatile yet wields the power to undermine everything you've achieved in life is a repulsive idea.

 

[asterwald]

Im so glad people are starting to see the "pussy pass" for what it is.