What is the media portraying?

Recently, I was watching a popular reality show about couples (who have been thrown into the spotlight and would now be considered celebrities) who have marital issues. Marital issues are in many marriages, and this did not catch my attention. What did catch my attention is how appalled I was at how these couples treated each other, let alone what was being shown on television. These couples were very violent towards each other, to the extent that a foot was broken.

How are these types of activities acceptable to be shown on television, to glory them? What message does this portray to the generations who may be watching? Violence such as this would not be acceptable to be shown in television ten years ago.

Aside from these remarks, what have you observed within the last year in the media (omitting news stations) shows on television? Some may argue that these types of situations are the same as crime shows and dramas. But, they are very different in the sense that this is real life.

Crime shows and dramas are purposely made to be dramatic and do not affect real people. They do not affect people’s livelihood and way of living. They are purely for entertainment use. That being said, it is not okay for those types of portrayals to get more violent and not expect to affect viewers. A reaction is imminent, and will be negative. 

Part two of this blog will not necessarily cover the media but instead how celebrities affect the portrayal of violence. This is either by what they say, do or what they put out by their celebrity status (examples include photos and music). 

Domestic Violence Charges in Utah

What are the specific domestic violence charges that are in place in Utah? What are the laws that are specific to Utah? What are the effects of a domestic violence related conviction? 

Quoting directly from Schatz and Anderson and Associates: 

Under Utah law there is no such criminal offense entitled “Domestic Violence,” but many crimes can be considered a crime of “Domestic Violence,” pursuant to Utah Code Ann. § 77-36-1, if the offender and the victim have a relationship included in the definition of cohabitant as set forth in Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-102. These relationships include husband and wife, ex-husband or ex-wife, common law husband and wife, roommates, individuals who have a child together, or individuals related by blood or marriage. The most common criminal charges that are classified as “Domestic Violence” crimes include:

                -Assaults

                -Criminal Mischief

                -Protective Order Violations

                -Stalking

                -Telephone Harassment

                -Interruption of a Communication Device 

Effects of a Domestic Violence–Related Conviction

There is also no such thing in Utah as getting out of a domestic violence charge just because the alleged victim “drops the charges.” The prosecutor’s office may still choose to prosecute the crime even if the alleged victim no longer wants to press a complaint. If you are convicted or enter into a plea in abeyance agreement for a charge of a Domestic Violence–related crime, you face several potentially severe collateral consequences. 

First, anyone convicted of a crime of Domestic Violence loses the legal right to possess either a gun or ammunition of any kind, including hunting rifles and shotguns…There is also a public stigma attached to Domestic Violence crimes, and a conviction could interfere with your ability to obtain employment. Any crime classified as a Domestic Violence– related crime carries certain minimum mandatory penalties, such as completion of at least 16 hours of Domestic Violence counseling. A conviction for Domestic Violence can also be used against you as a basis for obtaining a protective order or in a divorce proceeding if the parties are having a custody dispute. 

This quote goes through what exactly will happen if convicted of this crime. Do not be one of those convicted of this crime and lose penalties for the rest of your life.