Daddies and mummies

Fri May 2 15:26:12 UTC 2008

Quick note:  by "our" culture I realize that I'm being US-centric!  I'd actually love to hear about other countries' ad campaigns about this subject, how it's characterized in other places, what kind of awareness drives there've been and if they've been effective.

----- Original Message ----
From: Amy Sheldon <asheldon at UMN.EDU>
To: GALA-L at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
Sent: Thursday, May 1, 2008 10:02:12 PM
Subject: Re: [GALA-L] Daddies and mummies

I agree, 
and as to whether the girl is having fun...the girl is taking instructions from the director to do each thing in a certain way with certain emotions to make it believable.  There were rehearsals to get it right.  what did the director tell the girl?  
Does the body remember? How will the child "process" the body memories she has of her actions?

Who IS this girl? And what's the back story of who permitted her to be in this film... because she is underage and some parent would need to give permission. Is she being paid/rewarded for her "work"/fun"?

The fact that all of these questions arise, indicates that this film has effects beyond the moral tale it is telling.
I notice that the mother and the child are still victims of the father, in this imaginary world. We don't see him, just imagine him.  

The film has done nothing to empower  either of mother or daughter or teach what them and the audience to DO in this situation. The mother realizes the child's preoccupation and skill at reenactment of brutality and that's one more preoccupation... the perp is coming home....  no talk about shelter, escape, alternatives, etc.
There's a menace that still hangs around in the imaginary world.
Who is empowered?  what changes?

amy sheldon

On May 1, 2008, at 9:47 PM, Campbell, Heather wrote:

I agree that children need to be aware of their rights, the existence of oppression, and so on.  However, asking a child to enact such things is rather different to explaining such issues to them in a sensitive manner. Enactment of violence and abuse, such as is asked of the child in the making of this film, can have very severe consequences for the child.

Put it this way; I would not allow my child to play this role, and would advise a parent against allowing their child to be involved. I believe there are other, less harmful ways to get the message across.

Heather Campbell
Murray School of Education
Charles Sturt University
Australia

From: International Gender and Language Association [mailto:GALA-L at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG] On Behalf Of Valentina Pagliai
Sent: Friday, 2 May 2008 11:36 AM
To: GALA-L at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: [GALA-L] Daddies and mummies

Well,
The girl seemed to be having a lot of fun at it. And I suppose I would prefer an awareness of the existence of family violence to a girl misleaded into believing that certain things don't exist (until it happens to them). I feel that it is really cultural, for lack of a better word, the American (but not all Americans) tendency to hide stuff from children. Personally, I feel it is better to make children aware as soon as possible of sexism and oppression, so they can learn to defend themselves.
That's my two cents.

Valentina Pagliai
Oberlin College

On May 1, 2008, at 9:04 PM, Campbell, Heather wrote:

I must say, I agree with your concerns. Powerful film, but as an early childhood educator, I am extremely conflicted about this. There was a duty of care towards the wellbeing of the young child acting in this film, and I wonder if the possible benefits deriving from the film (that is, raising awareness of domestic violence and its effect upon children) justify the potential harm inflicted upon the child involved.

Heather Campbell

From: International Gender and Language Association [mailto:GALA-L at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG] On Behalf Of Sarah Wagner
Sent: Friday, 2 May 2008 9:45 AM
To: GALA-L at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: [GALA-L] Daddies and mummies

All I can think is, what about this young "actor" who is doing this?  What is she thinking as she says all of these horrible things?  You can't, even in an acting context, make this sound like "pretend" can you?  It's an incredible film, unbelievable (and incredibly important message of course), but I'm so conflicted about the reality of making it.
----- Original Message ----
From: Megan Crowhurst <mcrowhurst at MAIL.UTEXAS.EDU>
To: GALA-L at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
Sent: Thursday, May 1, 2008 4:09:43 PM
Subject: Re: [GALA-L] Daddies and mummies

Well, there's a frighteningly powerful message 
about how kids internalize and learn to reproduce 
domestic partner abuse.  I'm forwarding this to 
our SafePlace volunteer co-ordinator...

At 10:25 PM +0200 5/1/08, Goretty Robles Fernández wrote:
>I'm speechless.
>http://www.metacafe.com/watch/336489/papas_y_mamas_daddies_mummies/

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