New Rochelle, NY, November 18, 2015–Examining women's perceptions of the relationship between Christian and Anastasia in the popular movie Fifty Shades of Grey is a safe and valuable way to discuss healthy and unhealthy relationship dynamics, including the warning signs of intimate partner violence. Young women expressed mixed views, describing parts of the movie relationship as exciting and romantic and other aspects as controlling, manipulative, and emotionally abusive in a new study published in Journal of Women's Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available to download free on the Journal of Women's Health website.
In the article "Young Women's Perceptions of the Relationship in Fifty Shades of Grey", Amy Bonomi, PhD, MPH and coauthors from Michigan State University, East Lansing, describe their discussions with women 18-24 years of age who met in focus groups immediately after watching the film. Although the women largely viewed the relationship as unhealthy–including Christian's use of control, manipulation, and emotional abuse–they sympathized with and rationalized Christian's behaviors.
Regarding Anastasia's role in the relationship, most of the women emphasized how difficult it is to speak up in such an unhealthy scenario. A small group felt that Anastasia contributed to the unhealthy relationship.
In the Editorial "Sexual and Partner Violence Prevention and Popular Media", Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (PA) suggests, "Clinicians might consider offering information to their adolescent and young adult patients integrated into their patient education materials about being smart consumers of media. Asking our patients about their exposure to pornography (specifically violent and coercive depictions of sexual acts) may be helpful not only in identifying and supporting patients exposed to sexual violence, but also providing an opportunity to discuss healthy, positive, and consensual sex."
"These findings indicate the importance of engaging young women in conversations about healthy relationships, healthy sexuality, and warning signs of abuse," says Susan G. Kornstein, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Women's Health, Executive Director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women's Health, Richmond, VA, and President of the Academy of Women's Health.
About the Journal
Journal of Women's Health, published monthly, is a core multidisciplinary journal dedicated to the diseases and conditions that hold greater risk for or are more prevalent among women, as well as diseases that present differently in women. Led by Editor-in-Chief Susan G. Kornstein, MD, Executive Director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women's Health, Richmond, VA, and President of the Academy of Women's Health, the Journal covers the latest advances and clinical applications of new diagnostic procedures and therapeutic protocols for the prevention and management of women's healthcare issues. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Women's Health website. Journal of Women's Health is the official journal of the Academy of Women's Health and the Society for Women's Health Research.
About the Academy
Academy of Women's Health is an interdisciplinary, international association of physicians, nurses, and other health professionals who work across the broad field of women's health, providing its members with up-to-date advances and options in clinical care that will enable the best outcomes for their women patients. The Academy's focus includes the dissemination of translational research and evidence-based practices for disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of women across the lifespan.
About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including LGBT Health, Population Health Management, and Breastfeeding Medicine. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.
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