Spreading Awareness
SPOILER ALERT: IT ENDS WITH US
TRIGGER ALERT: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS
I’ve really been going back and forth in my own mind about posting this because it’s not my usual content, and because I don’t want things getting lost in Mercury Retrograde translation.
However, it feels too important, and it’s been weighing on me too much not to share.
I’m struggling HARD with all of the It Ends with Us content I’m seeing. Full disclosure, I have not seen the movie. I don’t know if I’m going to.
But, I read the book three years ago and was both triggered by the content and grateful for a realistic depiction of domestic abuse.
I think this book - and the movie, from what I’ve heard so far - depicts domestic abuse in such a real, raw, thought-provoking way. And that is important.
It’s important for people to “experience” the relationship through Lily’s rose-colored glasses. It’s important for readers/viewers to feel the internal struggle and not realize how bad things actually were until after the fact.
All that being said, my issue with the book and now the movie, is that neither are advertised this way. They’re both sold as romance, to the extent that in a promotion for the film, Blake Lively said, “wear your florals and go with your girlfriends.”
This is hugely problematic because I had no clue what I was getting into when I read the book. There are NO content/trigger warnings for the book or the movie. There are no hotline numbers for people struggling with domestic violence - which, by the way, is A LOT of people.
More than 1 in 3 women (35.6%) and 1 in 4 men (28.5%) in the US have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
The lack of trigger warnings and hotline resources made available to readers/viewers is horrifying to me.
I do have to say that I’m extremely appreciative that Justin Baldoni is standing up and speaking out about the message the film should be promoting. However, the fact that Colleen Hoover (unsurprisingly) and Blake Lively (frustratingly) are downplaying the DV in the film and promoting this as a “fun” - yes, Blake used that word in an interview - movie, is so upsetting.
Since the film didn’t share any resources, I want to.
If you or someone you love are struggling with an unhealthy relationship, the National Domestic Violence Hotline accepts calls, chats, and texts 24/7.
1-800-799-SAFE
If you or someone you love are dealing with the trauma from a previous relationship, there are so many resources available to help. I know waitlists are long for so many therapists, but if you need assistance finding someone to talk to, please reach out to me ❤️
