*trigger warning: discussion of stalking and sexual violence*
Every time I turn on my radio to the latest top 40 station, I feel like I hear the same songs over and over again. Recently, “Animals” by Maroon 5 has been added to that overplayed list. When I first heard the song, I loved it. So catchy, and who could say no to sexy Adam Levine, right? But THEN I saw the music video….
I sat there in shock after I watched it. I could not believe that this catchy, upbeat song actually glorified stalking and sexual violence against women. For those who want a quick preview, some of the highlights of the music video include Adam Levine meeting a woman through his job as a butcher, following her home, and standing outside of her window watching her change. Later, Levine actually breaks into her home and takes pictures of her as she sleeps, develops them in his creepy stalker darkroom, and dreams of kissing her covered in blood.
“Well, what’s the big deal,” you may ask. “It’s just an artist’s expression, it’s not like it’s real life.” The unfortunate truth is that this IS real life for so many women who are victims of stalking and sexual violence. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, on average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the U.S.—that’s more than 12 million women per year. With statistics like that, romanticizing the idea of stalking and sexual violence becomes problematic for many reasons. First of all, turning a terrifying situation into a romantic, sexy fantasy trivializes the very real experience of so many women. Additionally, the probability that hundreds of Maroon 5 fans are survivors of sexual violence and stalking is extremely high. How are they supposed to feel when their favorite band is making light of the worst experience of their life?
Another problem with the song itself is the comparison of men to animals. Jessica Valenti explains it all in her recent article on the music video:
What’s particularly disturbing about Animals is that the song’s message – that men are “animals” with no self control – implies there is nothing we can do about issues of sexual violence. If sexual predators are “animals”, or “crazy”, than it absolves us of social responsibility … because you can’t control an animal, amiright? It’s just in their nature.
“Animals” is just one in a long line of examples of glorifying violence against women in the media. Here’s a throwback from Mariah Carey that shows examples of stalking:
And an ad from Dolce & Gabbana that shows gang rape as “sexy”:
And, of course, the McDonald’s ad that imitates a rape crisis hotline ad:
Out of all of these examples, one thing is extremely clear: we must stop passively accepting these trivializations of sexual violence against women. Men and women are not “animals,” they are human beings, and each deserves to be treated as such.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 
The frustrating thing about glorification of sexual assault is that it keeps happening – but because it is in pop culture, nothing is being done to stop it or change it. It’s the same thing with Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke was heavily criticized, but what happened? Every radio station in the US played that song, he performed it on national television, and most likely profited in millions for the song that glorified and romanticized rape and rape culture. People will listen to this Maroon 5 song, and love it, and by the time they see the music video, they will like the song too much to care about the words/video means.
I really like how you brought in other examples of the glorification of assault, it really tied this article together well.
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So true! I actually heard Blurred Lines on the radio tonight…so crazy that these songs are so a part of our culture that we don’t even see them for what they really are.
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