By now, everyone knows that Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are in the midst of settling their divorce, and Kanye has made their private affairs quite clear on public social media accounts. While some might find this behavior to be a harmless PR stunt, survivors of domestic violence would disagree: Kanye’s behavior is clearly abusive. Dating and domestic violence are issues that unfortunately affect many women in the United States. Just because Kanye is a celebrity does not make his actions acceptable.
Think about it: if Kanye was not famous, would he be seen as a “creative genius”, or an abusive partner? Threatening Kim’s current boyfriend and publicly criticizing Kim’s parenting and personal choices must be humiliating for her. Claiming that it is “God’s plan” to get back together is ridiculous and manipulative. Trying to get back into her life on religious bases while he was a neglectful husband and father is downright shameful.
This story has not received the correct publicity and condonement it deserves because domestic violence is an issue that does not receive the public attention it warrants. Emotional and verbal abuse are not seen as serious enough issues to many Americans although unfortunately they can do the same damage as physical abuse and can often lead to instances of assault and sexual violence. Kanye’s history of mental health issues is not an excuse for his behavior, nor a valid argument for his defense.
Jealousy and disagreements are common occurrences when couples split, but there is a difference between arguments and abuse. Think twice when supporting a rapper who uses his social media presence and affluence to abuse, manipulate, and threaten others. Your friends who have been through this experience firsthand may be more hurt than you think.