For days now, Ray Rice has been the name on the tip of everyone’s tongue as the world debates over his character, his manhood and his fallen career in the wake of a video being released of him knocking his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer, unconscious in an elevator earlier this year. But focus shifted to Palmer yesterday after she spoke out in defense of her husband after his contract with the Baltimore Ravens was terminated after the world witnessed his attack on her. And though fans are debating back and forth about whether to defend or vilify Palmer, reality TV star Evelyn Lozada recently spoke out in Palmer’s defense and explained that sympathy is what she needs.
After footage of the beating hit the web, Lozada vented about her anger over the video on Twitter.
Lozada then spoke to her fans about Janay’s situation and explained that no one should be blaming her for being beaten or for staying with Rice. Instead, she explained that fans should sympathize with her and help her.
When it comes to abusive relationships, it’s not uncommon for abused partners to stay with their abusers, but that doesn’t justify anyone’s violence and it certainly doesn’t diminish the victim’s worth as a human to say they deserve to be abused and vilified. No one deserves to be beaten. Shaming won’t bring about change in the wake of Rice’s attack. But what can bring about change is sympathy and empathy and honest communication about how we deal with abuse in this society. – nicholas robinson
