Film glamorises emotional abuse

#1034 for broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 15 Feb 2015

There’s a lot of talk about the new film Fifty Shades of Grey, with critics claiming it sends the message it’s okay for men to stalk and humiliate women, and that torture may be sexually gratifying.

When Mamamia’s Rosie Waterland saw the movie before writing a review, she expected cringe-worthiness but walked out of the cinema on the verge of tears. She said the film

was a disturbing and clear depiction of a controlling and emotionally abusive relationship. This was domestic violence… This was domestic abuse marketed as Valentine’s Day fun.

And as a friend of mine said on social media this week:

Fifty Shades of Grey isn’t harmless fiction. When we mainstream and celebrate sexual violence against women, we contribute to the normalisation of such violence. And that is not the kind of world I want to leave for my daughter.

My advice: watch something more entertaining.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.