ABC considers hitting boys in the genitals is "justified"
A reader saw a scene in a "teenage aimed" cartoon in which a teenage girl hit her on-again, off-again boyfriend in the gentials with a guitar. He thought the scene inappropriate and registered this opinion with the ABC. After a few weeks he received a reply from the ABC, which dismissed his complaint. He found some of the reasoning in the ABC reply quite inconsistent. The ABC comment that "the violence had a light tone" is mind-boggling!
ABC program: Total Drama Action
Response required: true
Date of program: 17-Sep-2010
Contact type: Complaint
Subject: Sexual Assault used as Comedy in a G Rated Children's Show
Comments: I saw a scene in today?s episode of Total Dram Action that I found inappropriate for a children?s cartoon with a G Rating.
In the scene, an adolescent female character was annoyed with the behaviour of one of the male characters (who is also adolescent), so she grabbed a guitar and hit him in the genitals with it. My understanding of the legal terminology for this action is an Aggravated Sexual Assault.
The context of the scene did not justify the female character?s action. She was not acting in self defence or was in any form of danger by the male character, rather she just performed the assault as a punitive measure against the male character for his behaviour.
My concern is that this cartoon, which is quite contemporary with its plot revolving around a demographical cross section of adolescent characters who compete on a relativity TV show, and hence popular with teen and pre-teenage children like my own, is sending a message about assault, sexual assault, and aggravated sexual assault which is inconsistent with social values.
I would like to see the scene removed from the episode and the whole series reviewed for other occurrences of inappropriate behaviours and actions.
Regards
xxxxxxxxx
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Dear xxxxxxxxx
Thank you for your email regarding the episode of Total Drama Action broadcast on 17 September. I am sorry for the delay in responding to you.
I understand you were concerned by a depiction of violence in this program which, in your view, constituted aggravated sexual assault and was inappropriate for the G classification. In accordance with the ABC's complaints process, your concerns have been investigated by Audience & Consumer Affairs, a unit which is separate to and independent of program making areas within the ABC.
In light of your concerns, Audience & Consumer Affairs has assessed the episode against the classification guidelines for G programs outlined in section 6.2 of the Code of Practice. In particular, in relation to themes, violence and sexual activity in G programs, the Code of Practice states as follows:
"Themes: The treatment of themes should have a very low sense of threat or menace, and be justified by context. The presentation of dangerous, imitable behaviour is not permitted except in those circumstances where it is justified by context. Any depiction of such behaviour must not encourage dangerous imitation.
Violence: Violence may be very discreetly implied, but should:
* have a light tone, or
* have a very low sense of threat or menace, and
* be infrequent, and
* not be gratuitous.
Sex: Sexual activity should:
* only be suggested in very discreet visual or verbal references, and
* be infrequent, and
* not be gratuitous.
Nudity in a sexual context is not permitted."
Like the previous series Total Drama Island, Total Drama Action is an animated satirical comedy series which lampoons reality television programs such as Survivor. It features a bizarre cast of characters representing teenager stereotypes competing in ridiculous challenges to determine who will win a $1,000,000 prize. Its target audience is older children and teenagers.
The episode broadcast on 17 September was entitled 'Rock n' Rule'. It featured the final six contestants competing in challenges themed around the rock 'n' roll biopic movie genre. The first such challenge was to rock out on guitar, requiring the contestants to play guitar-shaped peripherals wired to give an electric shock whenever a wrong note was played. After several eliminations, only two contestants remained in the challenge: Duncan and Courtney. Courtney proceeded to play very well, hitting every note and even playing the peripheral behind her head, while Duncan only played every tenth note and concluded by smashing the peripheral. The host Chris awarded the challenge to Duncan on the basis that Courtney had tried hard whereas Duncan had not, and rock stars aren't supposed to try. This angered Courtney, and the following exchange occurred:
DUNCAN: Watch and learn, baby doll. Maybe one day you'll be able to rock as hard as me. [Courtney hits Duncan with peripheral.] Ohhhhh!
COURTNEY: That hard enough, baby doll?
CHRIS: We'll be right back as soon as Courtney cools down with a hot bath and Duncan gets the rock back in his roll [Chris laughs and Duncan falls over]. Ouch.
The act of violence was very discreetly implied. Courtney was shown lifting the peripheral and preparing to swing it, but it was not actually shown hitting Duncan; instead, when it hit him, only his upper body and face were visible, showing his face change from his usual expression of arrogant calm to one of shock and pain as the peripheral struck. He was then shown holding his hands between his legs, implying that that was where he had been hit.
The violence had a light tone owing to the fact that it was presented as slapstick comedy within a humorous, satirical context. There was also very little sense of threat or menace to Duncan. Within the established world of the Total Drama series, characters are regularly subjected to things which would cause lasting injury to real people in the real world, but generally they survive unscathed; viewers watching the scene would have readily anticipated a similar outcome for Duncan. Indeed, moments after the incident, when the next scene began, Duncan was shown with the other contestants and did not appear to be injured.
I note your comment that the context of the scene did not justify Courtney's action. It is relevant to view the action within the broader context of the ongoing relationship between the two characters: they had commenced a romantic relationship in Total Drama Island which was on hold for much of Total Drama Action as Courtney believed Duncan had cheated on her with Gwen. Consequently, Courtney often exhibited anger towards Duncan in the series, as she did on this occasion. Her action was also prompted by the apparent unfairness of Chris' decision with respect to the challenge, and Duncan's condescending attitude towards her in suggesting she should watch and learn from him.
It is also relevant to note that as a satirical comedy series, Total Drama Action regularly depicts characters behaving unreasonably or excessively; this is part of its satirical treatment of teenage stereotypes and reality television conventions. On review, Audience & Consumer Affairs considers that the depiction of violence not gratuitous as it was justified within the satirical, comedic context, and the ongoing context of the relationship between Duncan and Courtney.
While I note your view that Courtney's action constituted aggravated sexual assault, it is important to recognise that the action had no apparent sexual dimension, and from a program classification perspective, the scene did not feature references to or depictions of sexual activity.
Audience & Consumer Affairs acknowledges that Courtney's behaviour in the scene was dangerous and imitable. However, again, in our view it was justified by the context in which it appeared. Furthermore, at no point were viewers encouraged to imitate her behaviour.
On review of this scene and the program in its entirety, we are satisfied that it was consistent with the G classification guidelines and was therefore appropriate for broadcast in the 6:50am timeslot on this occasion. Nonetheless, please be assured that your comments have been noted and conveyed to the ABC Children's Television Department and ABC Television management so that relevant staff are aware of your concerns about the scene and the message it sent to the program's audience, and your suggestion for the series to be reviewed for other behaviours and actions of this nature.
Thank you for taking the time to write. For your reference, the ABC's editorial standards, including the Code of Practice, are available here: http://abc.net.au/corp/pubs/edpols.htm
Yours sincerely
Simon Melkman
ABC Audience & Consumer Affairs