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New Study Reveals Disturbing Trend In Television Programming

New Study Reveals Disturbing Trend In Television Programming

The results of a new special report just released by the Parents Television Council (PTC) found that television programming is increasingly airing depictions of violence against women.
Violence has always been a part of television programming, yet this new research reveals that depictions of violence against women and young girls are increasing at an alarming rate. In addition, depictions of violence against females are more graphically shown, in ways that have not been seen in the history of television.
“Our new research points to a disturbing trend: by depicting violence against women with increasing frequency, or as a trivial, even humorous matter, the broadcast networks may ultimately be contributing to a desensitized atmosphere in which people view aggression and violence directed at women as normative, even acceptable,” said PTC President Tim Winter.
The study examined fatal and nonfatal female victimizations on prime time broadcast television and found that there was a significant increase in all forms of female victimization storylines. This included an increase in the depiction of teen girls as victims, an increase in the use of female victimization as a punch line in comedies, and an increase in the depiction of sexual violence against women.
PTC Director of Communications and Public Education Melissa Henson stated, “Just last week, actresses like Nicole Kidman testified before the Congress that Hollywood probably has contributed to violence against women by portraying them as weak sex objects. We all must pay attention to the fact that this is a problem in our society. The fact is that children are influenced by what they see on TV and that certainly includes media violence.”
Major findings:
  1. Incidents of violence against women and teenage girls are increasing on television at rates that far exceed the overall increases in TV violence. Violence, irrespective of gender, increased on television only 2% from 2004 to 2009, while incidents of violence against women increased 120% during that same period.
·         The most frequent type of violence against women on television was beating (29%), followed by credible threats of violence (18%), shooting (11%), rape (8%), stabbing (6%), and torture (2%). Violence against women resulted in death 19% of the time.
·         Violence towards women or the graphic consequences of violence tends overwhelmingly to be depicted (92%) rather than implied (5%) or described (3%).
  1. Between 2004 and 2009 every network except ABC demonstrated a significant increase in the number of storylines that included violence against women.
  2. Although female victims were primarily of adult age, collectively there was a 400% increase in the depiction of teen girls as victims across all networks from 2004 to 2009.
  3. The Fox network stood out for using violence against women as a punch line in its comedies – in particular Family Guy and American Dad –trivializing the seriousness of the issue of violence against women.
  4. From 2004 to 2009 there was an 81% increase in incidences of sexual violence on television.
The results of this recent study are alarming, but not surprising to anyone who regularly watches television. Television violence has, no doubt, decreased sensitivity toward the dire effects of violence against innocent women and children in our society today, and the results are devastating. Recent research shows that an estimated 60% of children in the U.S. have been exposed to violence in their daily lives, scarring them emotionally, physically and psychologically for the rest of their lives.
Providing supervision over television viewing is essential for concerned parents who are striving to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children. California Family Council will continue to keep you informed on the latest research and developments that affect California’s families including the trends in television programming. Visit our website regularly at http://www.CaliforniaFamily.org.
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