10.29.09 REPORT: WOMEN GETTING BEATEN ON TV MORE
According to a study conducted by the Parents’ Television Council, the depiction of violence against women on TV has skyrocketed in the last five years, with the number of instances rising 120% since 2004. Cases where the teenage girls were the victim rose a shocking 400%, but let’s face it: teenage girls say some pretty punch-worthy things.
The report suggested that violent acts against women and teen girls was increasing at rates that far exceed the two percent increase in overall violence that the study found existed on TV between 2004-2009.
The PTC compared prime-time programing on networks ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox in February and May 2004 and the same months in 2009. It said every network except ABC showed a dramatic increase in stories that included beatings, violent threats, shooting, rape, stabbing and torture. [The Live Feed]
This is definitely a cause for concern, but I wish these studies were done by actual research groups and not advocacy groups with an agenda. For example, how does the rise in violence against women compare to the rise in violence overall? And what about the years in between? Was this a steady trend or a one-year spike? And which channel can guarantee me the most rape?
