Ultimate Fighter Tito Ortiz was arrested in California on Monday after being accused of beating up his girlfriend, Jenna Jameson. Jameson, a famous adult film star, placed a 911 call Monday morning and police arrested Ortiz, who has two children with Jameson. Jameson was visibly bruised. She also plans to press charges.
Domestic violence is a very serious issue and one that should not be tolerated. It’s no secret that couples argue about everything from child rearing to finances. But boundaries have to be drawn. Unfortunately, a lot of times Hollywood sends a message that domestic violence should be tolerated. Brett Myers, a pitcher now with the Houston Astros, was arrested for punching his wife in Boston a few years ago. She ultimately pressed no charges and stayed with Myers. Myers, after getting a few criticisms on sports talk shows, was widely forgiven for the incident. Actor Charlie Sheen, no stranger to legal troubles, was accused of domestic abuse against his 3rd wife in Colorado. He plead guilty, but its not clear if their marriage will end, and his show is still the most popular sitcom on television. There are many other cases in Hollywood wear people have been accused or convicted of domestic violence, and they are still able to perform to much the same popularity.
Like affairs, I think the presence of domestic abuse puts a tremendous, and irreparable, strain on relationships. Once an accusation is out there, it would be near impossible for a person to trust their spouse. One of the fundamental components of a relationship is counting on someone to protect you. Once a domestic incident happens, that component is no longer there. Someone cannot function if they worry or fear that their spouse can snap at any given time and hurt them. It’s something they never thought would happen when they got married, and now that it has its something they can’t ever forget. Obviously, some people manage to work this out. I’m not sure if its because the victim is so attached they’re afraid to be alone, or if its money, or if its protecting their children. But whatever the case they will always carry a reminder of what happened, and it’s hard to have a healthy relationship when something like that happens.
SOURCES
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/04/26/2010-04-26_jenna_jamesons_boyfriend_tito_ortiz_charged_with_beating_her_up.html
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/35881051/ns/entertainment-celebrities/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Myers#Domestic_violence_incident
