I was flipping through the channels the other day and I came across an interesting segment on BET’s 106 & Park. Now, first and foremost let me just I am not a fan of BET in any way, shape or form. People who know me can tell you that I have a great deal of disdain for the channel but I digress… The hosts of 106 & Park were discussing the controversy surrounding Rihanna’s new music video “Man Down.” Set in the Caribbean, the video which is more of a short story follows a woman (Rihanna) that has been brutally raped by a man and seeks revenge on her assailant by shooting and ultimately killing him. Since the videos premiere, Rihanna has been severely criticized by various organizations in addition to the BET community about her apparent “endorsement” of murder. (Mind you the depiction of murder was NOT the purpose of her video or the song for that matter.)

Violence against women is at epidemic proportions in the United States. Sexual assault, harassment, stalking, and intimate partner violence have become a “normal” part of women’s daily lives. Young women in particular are more likely to be assaulted and less likely to get help. The statistics are quite alarming:

-According to a 2004 National Crime Victimization Survey, almost two-thirds of all rapes are committed by someone the victim knows a relative, an acquaintance, or even a friend. This study also claims that every two and half minutes, someone is sexually assaulted in the United States, and that one in six women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape. (Mind you rape is one of the most underreported crimes.) Furthermore, eighty percent of rape victims are under the age of thirty and forty four percent are under the age of eighteen.*

I realize some of you might be asking yourselves how do these vicious acts of violence towards women take place during this day and age? Well, to answer your questions we have are living in what many feminists call “rape culture.” We live in a society that basically condones rape. Yes, rape is in fact illegal but, our social and political environment covertly “allows” rape. We are bombarded by images whether it’s from TV, film or other forms of media that perpetuate the objectification of women, violence against women among other things.*

I feel that entertainers like Rihanna possess a unique ability to discuss difficult social issues that plague our society because they wield a great deal of power and influence, especially over young people. I’m not saying that it is their sole responsibility to shed light on issues of rape or domestic violence. We should all be held accountable for injustice within our society because we all have the ability to speak up and speak out! However, I do believe that by not challenging their audience to discuss these issues entertainers are just perpetuating the status quo… I frankly commend Rihanna on her new song and video and instead of banning the video and condemning her we should be discussing how we can put an end to violence against women.

*Statistics and other information were taken from Jessica Valenti’s “Full Frontal Feminism” and Ginia Bellafante’s “Is Feminism Dead?” Time Magazine, June 29, 1998.

My rant aside here is the link to her video. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEhy-RXkNo0&feature=player_embedded

-Kristina