Feminist Bloggers Daft in Rihanna Debate

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 23, 2009 6:09 PM CST

(Newser) – In the debate over a leaked police photo of Rihanna, her face badly beaten, feminist bloggers and pundits are revealing their archaic attitudes toward domestic violence, Rebecca Traister writes in Salon. One asked whether Rihanna will carry the "domestic violence victim" stigma; another questioned whether she was partly to blame for being attacked. The prejudices behind such questions "need to be shaken loose, quickly," writes Traister.

For starters, there is no "shame or weakness involved in having experienced abuse," Traister notes. Nearly 5 million women, and 2.9 million men, endure it every year. And there is nothing "dirty or embarrassing about having had a partner angry enough to hit you." The key is not to cast blame, but to talk about it, and educate people about "the grave physical and psychological realities of physical violence."

[Images (3)]

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Rihanna. (AP Photo)

This undated photo provided by TMZ of pop star Rihanna was according to TMZ, "taken after Chris Brown allegedly beat her." (AP Photo)

Rihanna and Chris Brown. (AP Photo)

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Apparently there are still many deeply wrongheaded attitudes about partner assault that not only remain embedded in the American psyche but that are being passed down to the next generation. They need to be shaken loose, quickly. -

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COMMENTS

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Showing 2 of 2 comments

Guest

Feb 24, 2009 2:52 AM CST

There is no shame and it's not the victim's fault that she is beaten. However, it is a good idea for the victim to see whether she whether she has a pattern of picking such partners.

Guest

Feb 23, 2009 8:42 PM CST

"There is no shame..." That is an idealist viewpoint. Reality is quite another issue. Why was it necessary for her to hide away then? Why was the leak of the photo such an awful thing? Why then wasn't her partner hiding? It isn't as though she is able to parade around and flaunt her new gained beautiful face. Believe me that she feels shame. It is too bad that he doesn't.

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Salon (Source Grid »)

Jezebel on teen attitudes toward domestic violence
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Rihanna speaks, not about the incident
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feminism • domestic violence • Rihanna • Chris Brown • victim • stigma

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