Torika Chandra
SUVA (The Fiji Times/Pacific Media Watch): More open discussions should be held so society can move away from maintaining a rape culture and glamourising emotional domestic violence, says a Fiji gender issues activist.
This is the view of Roshika Deo as the controversial erotic movie Fifty Shades of Grey goes into its second week of screening at cinemas in Fiji.
Deo said the movie highlighted crimes within a relationship that were often suppressed within communities and the media.
"Fiji Women's Crisis Centre research shows that one in three women think that a wife is obligated to have sex with her husband even if she doesn't feel like it," Deo said.
"Now with statistics like this we have to question what it means when a book/movie shows that the female protagonist is also worried throughout about how she may lose her partner if she doesn't do what he wants sexually, but her hesitancy, coercion and emotional manipulation is packaged in a sexy glamourised way."
She said the movie, about a millionaire's relationship with a young university graduate, also perpetuates some harmful gender myths.
"That man has to be filthy rich and powerful, while emotionally disconnected, to be able to get women; that man has to stalk women to get women's attention — in real life women would be calling the police," Deo said.
"That men have to control every aspect of women's lives — what she eats, wears, exercises, where she works etc.
"Comments of the nature that 'You are mine now' etc — that's not romantic; it's creepy and controlling, taking away self-autonomy.
"Plus it's giving men the wrong perception of what a healthy satisfying relationship should be."
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