Report Indicates Violence On TV Escalates

October 29. 2009

James Nesbitt plays a violent man that abuses men and women in "Jekyll"

Continuing the Judiciary Report's ongoing theme of denouncing the escalating violence in Hollywood programming, a recent study released this week revealed violence against women, teens and children on television is up by as much as 400%. The entertainment industry is delusional if it believes this does not have a negative impact on society.

There are ways to portray or imply violence on screen when it is integral to the movie or TV show, without it being overtly violent and gory.

James Nesbitt in "Occupation"

I was watching a Hollywood movie on TV the other day and out of nowhere, the most violent scene occurred. I thought to myself, was that an eyeball that just flew across the screen? I mean, was that really necessary. Why be so graphic.

Megan Fox in the gory flop "Jennifer's Body"

Several months ago, I was watching a TV show on BBC America called "Jekyll" which I don't recommend by the way. It was a remake of the classic tale "Jekyll and Hyde" but with a very sick, violent, unexpected twist.

For example, there was a scene in which a government rep went to speak to a man with a genetic issue and out of nowhere, he started behaving like a literal devil and slit the civil servant's throat with his fingernail, blood flying everywhere, this ugly, gaping wound appearing on screen, with the man struggling to breathe, falling to his knees and dying.

I was appalled and disgusted. And this program was on TV at about 8PM. All that gore and violence was disturbing and unnecessary. I was sorry I watched it.

Study: TV Violence Against Women Up 120%

Published: October 28, 2009 - Violence against women is increasing on TV, according to a new study from the Parents Television Council -- and its leaders are urging network exec to step in suggesting the violence could desensitize youths and cause incidents like the “horrendous gang rape” of a woman last weekend in Richmond, Calif.

“A wave of media violence is hitting the public like a tsunami,” said PTC president Tim Winter. He said not only are incidents of violence against women and girls increasing in storylines, but the violence is getting “more graphic and more gruesome.”

PTC’s study tracked depiction of “female victimization” and violence on primetime broadcast TV from 2004 to 2009, focusing on sweeps periods in February and May each year. It didn’t study cable, saying it didn’t have enough staff.

The study noted that depiction of violence overall has changed little over the years -- up 2 percent from 2004. Depiction of violence against women, however, was up 120 percent.

It said 29 percent of the incidents were beatings, 18 percent credible threats of violence, 11 perdent were shootings, 8 percent were rapes, 6 percent stabbings and 2 percent torture -- but that in 92 percent of the incidents, graphic violence against women was depicted, not just implied...

http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/study-tv-violence-against-women-120-9309

Violence against women, female teens, surges on TV

Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:24pm EDT - LOS ANGELES, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Incidents of violence against women on mainstream U.S. television has increased by 120 percent in the past five years, with the depiction of teen girls as victims rising by some 400 percent, the Parents Television Council said in a report on Wednesday.

The conservative media group said it was particularly disturbed by the use of violence against women in comedies and said it hoped TV networks and advertisers would stand up against the trend.

"I hope the industry will look at our data and be as shocked as I was," PTC president Tim Winter told reporters..

http://www.reuters.com