Words do hurt. This is the message that the advertisement is demonstrating through its grim but realistic visual. The ad is displayed on many anti-abuse websites along with two other similar images. While the other ads feature men with arms coming out of their mouths as well, the abusers in those scenarios are pulling the face or hair of their victims. Even though all three ads are shocking, the image of the arm actually punching the women clearly sends the general message the ad is trying to convey: verbal abuse is still abuse.
Because the image displays a man and women in a confrontation, the ad focuses more on abuse in the context of romantic relationships. And as we see a woman being the victim in this scenario, the intended audience is probably the female population. But the ad could still have an impact on males either by making them aware of this isssue or illustrating to those engaging in this type of mistreatment that they are hurting their victims. Even though this image sends a powerful message, it does only narrow down verbal abuse into a specific situation. What must be remembered is that no matter what age, gender, or sexual orientation you are, you can be a victim of physical or verbal abuse (Who are the Victims?).
The reason why this ad is so powerful and persuasive is because it provokes negative emotions in the viewer. One emotion that someone may feel when seeing this ad is shock. The arm streaming out of the guy’s mouth resembles a scene from a sci-fi movie. This creates a grotesque visual and makes the man seem inhuman. While the scene is disturbing, the arm is probably the most important part of the ad because it grabs the audience’s attention. People are attracted to novel items, and by adding an image that defies human law, the ad gets viewers to take notice. Besides getting the audience’s attention, the arm is essential in providing the main message to viewers. When the audience looks at the arm through a metaphorical view, they can see that cruel words can be just at hurtful as being physically hit.
Another emotion that may be stirred in a viewer is fear. When you look closely at the man you notice his nostrils are flared and his eyes are filled with rage. Because humans are programmed to look out for danger, the guy’s facial expression signals that he could be a threat. For this reason, a viewers’ fight or flight response may kick in which will even further induce the adrenaline and fear. Looking at the other half of the image, the audience will notice the terrified expression on the woman’s face. Seeing her eyes closed tight and her teeth clenched may trigger the viewers’ mirror neurons to feel the same fear she does.
While an audience will be shocked and frightened by this picture, they may also feel the agony and pain that this woman is experiencing. Her overall facial expression just exudes the fact that she is hurting. Seeing the clenched fist make contact with the woman’s delicate cheek provokes the physical pain in the viewer themselves. With her head slanted sideways and her mouth at an angle; a viewer would most likely predict that she is about to end up on the floor with her teeth knocked out.
Because many people don’t realize the damage words can have, seeing this image may also evoke sadness and pity in the viewer, especially in males. These emotions may stem from the fact that in our society, it is generally taught that men should never hit women. But because verbal abuse it not really thought of as a type of abuse, the issue of belittling females is not as taboo. So when the ad puts the concept of physically assaulting women and verbal abuse together; the scene changes. Viewers will look back on the ideas they were taught and they will associate the negativity of physical abuse to verbal abuse. This is when the emotions of pity and sadness will be provoked. After feeling these emotions some viewers may have a strong urge to help the victim in the image, or just victims of abuse in general.
Even though the image does encourage victims of verbal abuse to call a hotline for advice or support, the ad does have stronger intentions. By using the fist as a metaphor for hurtful words, the ad wants the audience to realize that being verbally attacked can be just as horrific as being physically assaulted and this type of cruelty should not be continued. The fear the ad exudes would resonate with real life victims and it might help them realize that they are experiencing a real type of abuse. Hopefully, this would encourage the victims to seek help or dissolve their abusive relationship. For non- victims, the shock and pity the ad provokes may urge these viewers to intervene when seeing a verbal abuse situation or become involved in public awareness of this issue.
Aristotle wrote in Book II that “The emotions are all those feelings that so change men as to affect their judgments, and that are also attended by pain or pleasure” (ch. 1, pg. 60). While the context of the ad is directed toward towards romantic relationships, Aristotle explains that using words to instill an emotion in a viewer can be powerful in any situation (ch.1, pg.59-60). What is interesting though is that we are taught at a young age in America that words should not have an effect on us. Parents tell children to ignore others remarks or just “let them roll off their back”. This may be one of the reasons why verbal abuse is not widely recognized throughout our country. But tragic examples, such as the stream of gay students who committed suicide after being bullied, shows that words do have an effect on us and can alter our judgments (Hubbard). The concept of ignoring other’s remarks seem especially strange since we live in a society where most of us judge ourselves based on how we think others perceive us. For this reason, it is important for people to understand that words are powerful and influential. Most remember the classic saying “sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” After viewing the ad above, it seems that that last phrase of that saying should be changed to “but words could definitely hurt me.”
Works Cited
"Book II." Aristotle Rhetoric. Trans. W. Rhys Roberts. Mineola, New York: Dover
Publications, 2004. 60-115. Print.
Publications, 2004. 60-115. Print.
Hubbard, Jeremy. "Fifth Gay Teen Suicide in Three Weeks Sparks Debate."
Editorial. ABC News. ABC New Internet Ventures, 3 Oct. 2010. Web. 13 Feb.
2011.
Editorial. ABC News. ABC New Internet Ventures, 3 Oct. 2010. Web. 13 Feb.
2011.
"Who are the Victims?" Domesticviolence.org. Creative Communications Group, n.d.
Web. 13 Feb. 2011.
Web. 13 Feb. 2011.
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