Once Were Warriors - Movie Review Example

Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner Violence in “Once Were Warriors” Domestic violence or intimate partner violence is a major problem of society. It comes under the category of crime, but it is still not controllable. The film, Once Were Warriors shows domestic violence in its raw form. The film is well liked because of the dynamics of domestic violence displayed by a Maori family. Once Were Warriors contains many dynamics or characteristics of domestic violence such as the cycle of violence, power and control methods, PTSD, male privilege and battered woman syndrome. This paper contains descriptive account of the dynamics in relation to the film as portrayed in the film. The cycle of violence can be described as divided into three phases that are ‘tension-building period, ‘acute battering incident’ and ‘loving contrition’ phase (Walker & Lenore, 2009). The anger of the batterer is escalated in spite of several attempts to control it in the tension building phase, afterwards, there is acute battering incident phase where the victim is battered or sexually abused and finally, there is love contrition phase where the batterer is apologetic or loving towards the victim. This is also called the honeymoon phase. The cycle of violence is repeated by the aggressor, as it becomes his habit to exercise it and control the victim as per his will and wish (Walker & Lenore, 2009). In intimate partner violence (IPV), mainly men try to maintain their power and control through battering their partners. For maintaining power and control, the batterers use violence as a tool against his partner to make her do what he wants without her acceptance and by ignoring her rights. The abuse is not only physical or sexual, but also psychological (Walker & Lenore, 2009). A power and control wheel is described that contains every action that an abuser can use to maintain power and control over the victim. The actions include: emotional violence; coercion and threats; economic control; male privilege; sexual violence; denying, minimizing, accusing and blaming; abusing children; occasional indulgences; intimidation and isolation (Harne & Radford, 2008). PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) can be explained as a disorder, which is there as a consequence of experiencing or witnessing some traumatic occurrence. A traumatic occurrence is that which disables a person’s power to cope up with her well-being (England, 2009). The human body suffering through PTSD enters in a survival mode ever interested in flight or fight. As a result of PTSD, the victim suffers ‘significant distress or impairment in social, occupational and, other important areas’. A person can suffer through PTSD because of sexual assault, natural disaster, intimate partner violence, torture or terrorism. The victim may have flashbacks or nightmares of the traumatic occurrence (England, 2009). Male privilege is another significant dynamic or characteristic of domestic violence. Males try to treat women as their servant and subservient to them so that they can lead their lives as per their male partners. Male partners require meals at fixed times or the times of their choices in order to rule them. They take all kind of decisions themselves without the opinions of their female partners. In training or disciplining their children, the male partners criticize their wives and try to impose their rules on the family lives and they describe gender roles to their partners to explain their positioning in the household (Harne & Radford, 2008). The battered woman syndrome deals with revisiting the traumatic occurrence, elevated provocation and emotional numbness or negligence. Battered women face sexual issues, issues of isolation, interpersonal relationships and physical disturbances. Women experience feelings of shame and have fear of future attacks (Walker & Lenore, 2009). The woman who is battered has four characteristics that indicate that she has battered woman syndrome. Firstly, the woman perceives that she has been battered because of her own fault; secondly, she is unable to blame anyone else for the violence; thirdly, such a woman is afraid about her own life and the lives of her children and finally, she regards that the batterer can reach everywhere or is omnipresent (Walker & Lenore, 2009). Beth, character played by Rena Owen and Jake by Temeura Morison display domestic violence existent in a Maori family. Beth married Jake by going against her family. Beth tries to correct herself by stopping being alcoholic and saving for the family, but later on, revert to her old ways. She as a battered woman suffers acute battering by her husband Jake who maintains his power and control over his wife not only through physical battering, sexual abuse, but also through psychological abuse. Beth undergoes through battered woman syndrome because of her continuous battering by her husband. She is also sexually abused along with physical abuses. The very next day to her beating that is screened quite explicitly, she talks to her friend, Mavis in a causal manner showing her wounds and swollen face to her. She draws attention towards her helplessness as she says, “Well you know the rules girl, keep your mouth shut and your legs open”. Saying that she was required to keep her mouth shut, she blamed herself for her battering pointing towards the battered women syndrome. Beth, also undergoes PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) as she has no control over anything that is happening around her. She is afraid because she is physically, sexually and mentally abused. After gaining knowledge about her daughter’s rape, she also gets into a state of psychotic disorder. She is distressed and mentally disturbed. She stops taking alcohol, but for the numbness, she starts it again. Jake maintains power and control over Beth and her other family members, his sons and daughter by growing angry whenever he likes and doing whatever he likes. He makes his family wait in the car when they plan for a picnic. He gets out for a drink, but keeps drinking keeping his family waiting for him and going to the picnic spot where they never reach. He beats his wife in front of his drunken friends as he asks her to make eggs for them, which she refuses. When he sees that she has challenged his power, he batters and tells her to do what she is asked to go without any questioning as he says, “do as you’re fucking told!” His language is abusive and authoritative as Beth is her servant. Beth discusses with Jake about his lose of temper and battering and he says, “At least I try to make it up to you... jeeze you’re pretty.” Afterwards, he makes promise for family day out and gives Beth his winning amount from the races that shows the occasional indulgences when the batterer gives gifts to the victimized one in order to retain the power and control over her. After exercising his power and control, he asks her, “Now will you come here... tell Jakey you love him.” He demands her to give him his privilege as he has maintained economic control over her and informed her about her gender role and subservience to himself. Beth and Jake’s relationship also indicate towards the dynamic of cycle of violence. When Jake is busy with his friends and asking Beth to make eggs for them, it is the tension building phase when she rejects to accept his order, the acute battering phase appears next to it when Beth is terribly battered and the love contrition phase or honeymoon phase is when, Jake praises her for her beauty, gives her his winning money, promises for a picnic and calls her to him. The film is a masterpiece. The film has depicted domestic violence and the characters have displayed the Maori culture and domestic violence exercised by male members of the culture accurately. The response of women is also displayed with perfection. The scenes displaying intimate partner violence are raw and violent even for the audience. The elements are not over dramatized nor under dramatized. References England, D. (2009). The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Relationship: How To Support Your Partner and Keep Your Relationship Healthy. Adams Media. Harne, L., & Radford, J. (2008). Tackling Domestic Violence: Theories, Policies And Practice: Theories, Policies and Practice. McGraw-Hill International. Lee Tamahori. (1994). Once Were Warriors. Walker, L. E., & Lenore, E. (2009). The battered woman syndrome. Springer Publishing Company. Read More