Domestic Violence Is Glamorous (Which Is The Problem)

Eminem and Rihanna have teamed up to produce a song about domestic violence.

It has already come under fire for glamorizing abuse, by casting Megan Fox and including passionate kisses. But what if that is an accurate depiction of abuse?

The video opens with Rihanna standing in front of a burning house, yearning, singing the chorus:

Just going to stand there and watch me burn

But that’s alright because I like the way it hurts

Just going to stand there and hear me cry

But that’s alright because I love the way you lie

I love the way you lie

Then we see the gorgeous Megan Fox lying in bed with Dominic Monaghan. He has another girl’s number on his hand and that kicks off the violence.

The video is gorgeous, beautiful. The people in it are sexy. Critics are saying that it glamorizes domestic abuse.

But they’re missing the point.

Eminem and Rihanna are both artists who use music to process the world. They are not advocating one thing or another but they’re telling it like it is.

And domestic violence is glamorous.

The video jumps between violence, sex and moments of great tenderness, all elements that can be found in real abusive relationships.

It emphasizes the intense passion and emotion behind the violence, things that can often convince people in the relationship that what they have is grander than what other people have. Their love is more. They are not a boring couple but are star-crossed lovers and have the epic battles to match.

The first thing Eminem says is:

I can’t tell you what it really is

I can only tell you what it feels like

But if you strip away the glamour, the denial and lies you tell yourself about the relationship, then it is easy to see how fucked up it is. These relationships run on fantasy and it is only when they are over that people begin to realise exactly that they went through — how much pain they are in.

We also see him and her go at it equally. The problem is both people in the couple, and no one here is blameless.

Near the end of the song Eminem says:

If she ever tries to fucking leave again

I’m gonna tie her to the bed and set the house on fire

This is not beautiful, it’s not romantic — this is psychotic.

The video is like domestic abuse; you have to strip away the façade to find the rot that lies beneath.

Note: Kudos to Megan Fox for donating her fee to a women’s shelter.