Portrayal of intimate partner Violence in film: A dilemma.

 Intimate partner violence is one of the most frequently seen and inflicted violence types worldwide which leads to considerable damage to human life. By definition, Intimate partner violence is referred to as a pattern of coercive behaviors that leads to abuse. It includes physical, sexual, and psychological abuse (week 2 lect:1 0:25).

Showing violence in the film has different effects on the human mind. Addressing the impact and effects of showing intimate partner violence in the film, the context to which it is shown, and how it might be normalizing the existing social norms or helping in awareness towards the inflicted violence.

Here, I have taken the Indian movie BULBUL. The movie is towards feminism and portrays an aspect of gender imbalance in the 1800 century West Bengal, India. The context of the movie is a girl named bulbul played by Tripti Dimari, is subjected to child marriage to a man much older than her and is living in a mansion with him and his family. As she is growing she started having feelings for his husband’s brother, who is of the same age as her. Her husband played by Rahul Bose, finds this out and does not talk about the issue with his wife but his sister-in-law resulting in his anger and he beats her up.

Here, the scene which is portraying the violence is when her husband is disturbed from her affection towards his younger brother and inflicts physical violence on her. The scene shows Bulbul immersed in a bathtub full of water and at that time her husband comes and pulls her out of the tub, which is suggestive that she is naked even though the scene does not show her body openly. The editing is in slow motion and associated with the slow gloomy background music to make a viewer realize the impact and deep emotions running in the scene. The husband uses his cane to hit her multiple times but it is not shown on her body. So wounds are not visible throughout the scene. The expression of Bulbul is visible when the cane makes an impact on her body and gives the sense of how painful it is for her. The expression on the face of the husband with his clenched jaw and blank eyes shows his resentment towards his wife. The scene lasts for about 1 minute and 30 seconds and fades. In the next scene, it is shown that she is in bed unconscious, the doctor is tending to her extensive injuries.

The scene is filled with quite delicate intentions. No graphical portrayal of injuries, wounds, the impact of the cane with the body is there. But, the way it is filmed and edited take the extent of violence to the viewer. The contributing factors for the particular violence are multiple. For the Individual from the perspective of the victim is she was married at a very young age, Her friendship with his brother-in-law and her inferior status in comparison to her husband in household. From the preparator’s perspective – he was the head of the family, he was a man and had control over his wife’s living. The other social factor which further stronger the context is the norms. In the 1800 century India, the gender role and power dynamics in the household were very visible. Women were considered as the property of the husband without having much say in their own will, which is obvious in the movie where she is married at a young age. Also, the masculine feature and possession of a man on his wife and inflicting violence to straighten up the wife was an acceptable thing.

Just because her soft, unsexual association with her brother-in-law resulted in physical violence on a woman but his brother was sent abroad as he was a man and related to the husband of the Bulbul. All these dynamics are important to consider, as the main factor which is played here with the negative intersectionality of being a woman is striking.

When I watched this movie, it was out of interest before the assignment was given. The particular scene of Violence was hard to watch even though there were not many graphical presentations. As a woman my self, it evokes the feelings of hurt, anger, and resentment towards the preparation of the violence and empathy for the victim. In the genre which deals with the sensitive issue of intimate partner violence, the mentality and person experiences show you from whose perspective we are watching. I was watching from the perspective of a Victim in the movie. It also conveys the abuse towards women in the marriage and how to normalize it was. Also, trying to hide the violence with the other reasons for physical injury, it is very hidden and women do not speak up due to the various societal reasons.

After learning the intimate partner violence and in the Understanding Violence course the interpretation of the way I saw the scene has changed. As now I am aware that the intimate partner violence happens due to the gender imbalance and power dynamics between the couple. Also, the instilled patriarchal values which give an upper hand to the men result in looking at women from not as a human but a thing that is being possessed(Lelaurain et al., 2018). Showing this type of violence in the film the context is set to be how Bulbul is being abused physically and that results in her revenge towards her husband and other men which is also by inflicting violence upon those men as a murder. So, here the violence is bad if it is inflicted first by man but it is good if it terms of revenge. So, the violence is being normalized by the side of women if they are taking revenge for the same(Lenahan, 2009).

I used to also identify the violence done in self-defense valid. But now I understand that any kind of inflicted violence when there are chances of going through the justice system and for revenge after the violence is inflicted is bad. Any kind of violence, glorification is the problem. Taking revenge by murder is also showing and somehow instilling that it is ok if women kill her preparator or those others who are being violent and abusive towards their wives.

The complexity of the issue in the relationship is there. The action which can be taken in this situation is showing the women speak up with all the women who are being abused in the village. And they take cumulative action against a man by approaching the justice system. It is a long and tedious way but Violence does not finish the world wide problem of an abusive partner. For long term effects, protection from the law and legal system involvement is necessary as any kind of violence is a punishable offense. Movies should cover the sensitive topic of IPV but with care and the preventable and justice system aspect from the partner, not the other way around.