Rainn Wilson Apologizes for "Poorly Conceived Date-Rape Joke": What Would RAINN Think?

When I saw a twitter headline today that read, "Rainn Wilson Apologizes for "Poorly Conceived Date-Rape Joke", I first thought, "Is there ever a well conceived date-rape joke?"  Next I thought, "Well- that's certainly a coincidence."

The coincidence being that the other RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) plays an important roll in calling out celebrities (and educating them) regarding the consequences of throwing around the term "rape".  The misuse of the term seems to be hitting epidemic proportions lately:

•   In June 2010, "Twilight" actress Kristen Stewart compared the constant scrutiny that she receives from the paparazzi to a woman being raped.  "What you don't see are the cameras shoved in my face and the bizarre intrusive questions being asked, or the people falling over themselves, screaming and taunting to get a reaction," she said of the constant paparazzi crush. "The photos are so ... I feel like I'm looking at someone being raped. A lot of the time I can't handle it. It's f---ed. I never expected that this would be my life." Stewart later apologized.  

•  In October 2011, actor Johnny Depp compared having his picture taken to being raped.  “You just feel like you’re being raped somehow. Raped. The whole thing,” he told Vanity Fair. “It feels like a kind of weird—just weird, man… Whenever you have a photo shoot or something like that, it’s like – you just feel dumb. It’s just so stupid.”  Depp later apologized.

• In November 2011, "Jersey Shore" cast mate Vinny released a song about raping strippers.  I will not repeat the lyrics here.  Vinny later apologized.

• In January 2012, actress Kim Novak took out an ad in Variety magazine to declare that she felt raped by the makers of the Oscar nominated film "The Artist" because the film used a score from one of her old movies.  The difference here:  Novak's team is not apologizing. 

Whether we like it or not, celebrities influence social norms.  When celebrities use the term "rape" as a joke or to describe their dislike of having their picture taken or their work borrowed, it cheapens what it really means.  It is meant to describe a violent act against women, men, and children...and it is a serious public health issue.  As with any public health issue, it is influenced at multiple levels (individual, interpersonal, community, society). The language we use everyday (whether to friends, family, co-workers, twitter followers, facebook friends) impacts our society on every level.  So think about the words that you choose and do your part to change the conversation.  

National Sexual Assault Hotline:  1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Chris Brown's Return to the Grammys: The Other Public Health Story

Sunday's Grammys were a mixture of high and low notes (pun intended), as the joy was often overshadowed by the death of Whitney Houston.  As someone who grew up in the 80's singing her songs, I too was quite shocked and saddened.  Despite broad speculation of an overdose, I'll wait to post on Whitney until we have a confirmed cause of death.

However, there was a second public health story on Sunday night.  It was the three year anniversary of Chris Brown assaulting Rihanna...and he made his return to the stage.  While Grammy executive producer Ken Ehrlich has defended the decision to bring Brown back and believes that he deserves a second chance, the warm sentiment was certainly not felt by all.  I personally turned the TV off when he began his performance.  My facebook and twitter feed blew up with comments from friends and colleagues like, "I'm no math wiz, but I'm pretty sure domestic abuser + 2 years= still a domestic abuser".  Many celebrities (both Grammy attendees and beyond) voiced the same sentiments on twitter.  For example, Wil Wheaton said simply, "everyone who apparently forgot what Chris Brown did to Rihanna should read the police report on exactly what he did."

Do you think that Chris Brown was worthy of a second chance at the Grammys? 

In addition to a discussion of giving second chances, remembering, or forgetting what he did...we must also discuss those who actually encourage what he did.  While there were outraged tweets during his performance, there were also those providing support.  The tweets that I found most disturbing were those from young women poking fun at the assault and saying that they would be happy to have it happen to them anytime.  For example, one woman said, "chris brown could beat me all he wants, he is flawless."

One of the biggest problems in our society is that we have a culture of violence where intimate partner violence is acceptable and abusers are not held responsible for their actions.     

What do you think we can do to stop the culture of violence?

In my opinion, Chris Brown is still the same angry and aggressive person that he was 3 years ago.  For example, instead of rising above and ignoring any negativity, he continues to lash out.  He took to his twitter after the ceremony to address his "haters".  He said, "HATE ALL YOU WANT BECUZ I GOT A GRAMMY Now! That's the ultimate F*** OFF!"  The tweet has since been deleted and he tried again with a slightly less offensive message.  But I don't buy it.  

For those of you interested in a more in-depth analysis of the original media coverage of the assault, I'll offer a publication.  This article was written by some fantastic colleagues at Boston University School of Public Health:

Rothman, EF, Nageswaran, A, Johnson RM, Adams, KM, Scrivens, J, Baughman, A. (in press).  U.S. tabloid magazine coverage of a celebrity dating abuse incident: Rihanna and Chris Brown.  Journal of Health Communication. Available online ahead of print.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at:  1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

The NFL Super Bowl Commercial: Has Dedication to Player Safety Really “Evolved”?

In between a fantastic Super Bowl game, gallons of salsa, Madonna’s half-time show, and many disappointing sexist commercials, I patiently waited for the last third quarter commercial break. Almost a week before, the New York Times ran a story about a Super Bowl commercial which would address player safety. The NFL was taking one minute of its own commercial time (valued in the millions) to talk about its commitment to the safety of its players...a commitment which has been questioned over the years.

The one minute spot opens in Canton, OH in 1906 and follows one long kick return 100 yards (and 100+ years). The design of the commercial is well done as it follows famous players through the years. As the years progress (as documented on yardage lines), the viewers see and hear a discussion of key safety innovations. For example, we see no helmets turn into leather helmets turn into plastic helmets. We also see the addition of the facemask and the elimination of dangerous hits on players (e.g., horse collar tackles). The voiceover (telling viewers, “Here’s to making the next century safer and more exciting than ever. Forever forward. Forever football”) is provided by a veteran linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens- Ray Lewis.

In any occupational setting, there is concern that creating a culture of safety can be difficult, especially when veterans want things to stay “how they’ve always been”. Lewis has 16 NFL seasons under his belt and a reputation for playing with intensity. In many cases, he would be the hardest kind of player to get on board. Therefore, it is ideal for the Evolution campaign to have recruited someone like Lewis as a champion for its mission!

I also thought that the choice of words “safer and more exciting” were important. One concern about the increase in equipment and restrictions on hits is that it destroys the essence and entertainment of football. That essence being big men hitting each other, playing through pain, and ultimately being declared “stronger” and “winner”. So for Ray Lewis to promise that game excitement will actually increase (along with safety) is quite important for a possibly skeptical audience.

In addition to the commercial, an accompanying website was launched to provide detailed information about the history of the game and various rule changes. The website provides a very cool interactive timeline which outlines each decade. For example, the 1960’s bring “the world’s first Super Bowl”. It also brings fibershell and plastic pads, universally worn facemasks and the banning of grasping a runner’s facemask (1962).

From a public health perspective, I’m impressed with the quality and persuasiveness of both the commercial and website. A successful campaign was really necessary for the NFL, considering that it has been criticized in the past for its lack of commitment to player safety. Most notably, there has been much concern about the NFL’s protocols for dealing with player concussions (and the short and long-term consequences of those injuries). In recent years, we have seen a variety of public health strategies to address concussions.

They have developed and/or expanded safety committees to compile and analyze head injury data. We have seen numerous policy changes regarding both on the field play and the treatment of injuries. For example, in 2009 the NFL adopted a stricter statement on return-to-play for a player who sustains a concussion. The 2009 statement advises that a player who suffers a concussion should not return to play or practice on the same day if he shows any signs or symptoms of a concussion that are outlined in the return-to-play statement. In addition, the NFL has increased its use of financial penalties for helmet to helmet hits which are especially dangerous.

We have also seen educational materials for coaches and players regarding concussions. In fact, Pop Health critiqued the materials released in summer 2010 (“Concussion: A Must Read for NFL Players”).

While there is still criticism of the NFL’s commitment to player safety and there is always room for improvement, I think the “Evolution” campaign is effective. Reflecting over 100 years of football through the commercial and website, it is clear to the audience that they have come a long way. They have used various public health strategies to reduce injuries (i.e., equipment innovation, policy change, education campaigns, and probably the hardest strategy- culture change). In Ray Lewis, they have effectively retained a respected veteran to champion the cause. Finally, they have reassured the fans that the game will remain (and even increase) in excitement despite additional safety measures.

What do you think? Was the commercial just a PR opportunity for the NFL to defend themselves against recent criticism and lawsuits regarding player concussions? Or did you find it to be an effective reflection of successful safety innovation coupled with a sincere commitment to player safety moving forward?

Why Everyone is so Angry at Paula Deen- A Guest Post for "The Public's Health"

Last week I had the pleasure of being invited to guest blog on "The Public's Health". The blog is a collaboration between Drexel University School of Public Health and The Philadelphia Inquirer. In multiple posts each week, the authors highlight contemporary, historical, and ethical matters that challenge public health professionals.

For my post, I was able to contribute a "Pop Health" story which examined Paula Deen's disclosure of her type 2 diabetes and the media and societal backlash which followed.

What do you think? Do celebrities have the right to talk about their health information whenever and however they feel comfortable? Or do they have a social responsibility to disclose as early as possible- and to discuss it in a way that is most likely to improve the public's health?