#DearDaddy Rape Culture YouTube Video Gets 2.7 Million Views, Big #DearDaddy Social Media Response
The following YouTube video, simply titled #DearDaddy, is getting a big social media response since it was uploaded to YouTube on December 4. #DearDaddy has already swelled to more than 2.7 million views on YouTube in that time.
Warning: The following #DearDaddy video contains scenes that could be a trigger for sexual assault victims.
#DearDaddy begins as a touching, five-minute long video that shows a man and a woman leaving their storage unit as they prepare for the birth of their child. The daddy shown is the best kind of daddy: loving, caring, and such a great dad that he won’t even allow his pregnant mate to eat sushi.
The #DearDaddy video, as reported by ABC Online, seeks to teach others how sexist jokes can contribute to sexual violence against women.
Narrated by the baby girl who transitions from the safe cocoon of her mother’s womb to the dangerous world where she’s shielded by “Daddy,” the #DearDaddy video takes a surprising turn of events. #DearDaddy is thought-provoking and puts the onus on fathers and challenges everyone to think of how putting up with sexist jokes and demeaning attitudes toward women can negatively affect their daughters.
In the #DearDaddy video, negativity comes in the form of the narrator talking about her eventual rape as a 20-something, having been raped by the son of the man who used to hang out with her daddy. She describes how her dad might have found his old friend a little weird and quirky, but her dad was one of the many guys who didn’t call his friend out for his sexual jokes against women.
As such, the guy passed on his wrong thoughts about women to his own son, and that son ended up sexually assaulting the woman acting as the narrator and rape victim.
At the same, the #DearDaddy doesn’t shy away from the narrator’s own mistakes, such as getting too drunk and not staying in control of her own faculties, but it doesn’t rely on victim-blaming to make its point. Instead, #DearDaddy puts the spotlight on the sexual violence that needn’t be tolerated in the world.
“1 in 3 women worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, usually from a male partner (WHO). Show that you never tolerate violence against women. Share the movie and start your involvement at www.kjaerepappa.no #DearDaddy”
Considering the viral response to #DearDaddy, the mini-movie is making an impact among those who watch the video created by CARE Norway. As the described on the #DearDaddy video creator’s YouTube channel, CARE seeks to improve the lives of women around the world.
“CARE is an aid organisation that works with emergency aid and long term development in some of the world’s poorest countries. CARE fights for women’s rights and for all to live in dignity. A woman who receives help and possibilities, finds her own way out of poverty. She places emphasis on safety, health and education for her children. CARE gives women the opportunity to make a better life for themselves and their families.”
#DearDaddy is poignant in the way it challenges both men and women to consider how name-calling and innocent “jokes” toward others can have a real effect upon those who don’t get the joke.
On Twitter, the reactions to #DearDaddy run the gamut, just like on YouTube, where the #DearDaddy video has gathered more than 5,000 likes – but surprisingly more than 2,000 dislikes.
This #DearDaddy PSA addresses violence against women in such a powerful way: https://t.co/f2gCeZeXmY pic.twitter.com/Lua1IlcXf3
— POPSUGAR Family (@POPSUGARMoms) December 16, 2015
While some commentators view the #DearDaddy video as a way for men to call each other on sexist comments when they hear them, others believe the #DearDaddy video isn’t fair towards men. Certain folks writing about the #DearDaddy video say it takes the responsibility away from the daughter, while others agree with the #DearDaddy message that men — especially dads of daughters — have a hand to play in helping keep them safe by not objectifying women and not allowing others to do the same.
The #DearDaddy video serves as a powerful message about rape culture https://t.co/2kqrHwdwOW
— The Independent (@Independent) December 15, 2015
[Image via Shutterstock]
