So we all know that early in the year, singer Chris Brown beat the living daylights out of singer Rihanna. He has admitted it, and is serving out some minor slap on the wrist with community service. The man apologized and his fans are sticking by him. Rihanna took a long time to talk about it (she waited until her album was being released, causing some to say she was cashing in) but she too has her fans at her side, and has moved on, stronger.
Fast forward to Thanksgiving. Tiger Woods has a car accident near his Florida property and the rumors are flying. His wife found about his transgressions (transgressions that Woods has pretty much 'fessed up to at this stage) and more and more women are crawling out of the woodwork with tales of affairs and sexual trysts with the world class golfer (and father of two very young children). The rumors are filled with talk that his wife, Elin, beat him and possibly went after his car with a golf club. Not to save him from his car wreck, as implied, but to beat him more.
We do know that Tiger made sure she was not associated with the 'accident' in any way, and that she was only there after the fact. We'll probably never know what really happened, unless one of them talks about it. With a lot of money at stake, that's unlikely. Both have the right to privacy. However, both lead public lives and must understand that the less spoken by them, means the more spoken by us.
Saturday Night Live had several skits this past weekend, most of them showing an obviously terrified "Tiger", hiding from his wife. The implication? "Elin" is going to whoop his ass. When the actress playing her isn't looking at him, the actor playing Tiger holds up signs to the media, that says "I'm scared!" "Help me!" and "She's strong!" . The more he sticks his foot in his mouth at various press conferences with her by his side, the more he lands in hospital and return to the press conference with more bandages and more injuries. The audience howls in laughter. So do many at home. Tiger turned Cheetah and lots of us think he got what he deserved. Bloggers yelled : don't all cheating men need their butts kicked?
You can see the skit here. http://www.hulu.com/watch/113210/saturday-night-live-tiger-woods-accident
Nobody did skits on Rihanna. Her interview was somber, almost religious. No background music, no fanfare. Just one beaten woman being interviewed about the horror she faced. Rumors on that story indicated that she was in her boyfriend's face, screaming at him as he drove, calling him a cheater and that she pushed him. Nobody yelled : don't all screeching women need their butts whopped?
We assume Tiger got his, and Rihanna is a victim.
We may never get the full story of what happened with either couple. But we do know that we find a woman being beaten by a man to be outrageous, and a man being beaten by a woman as....funny....payback....justifiable. And even if we don't, the media does...and then some.
Tell Us
Do you think there is a double standard in domestic violence? Do you think society views men beaten by their women as being less of a victim than the other way around?