Hozier - Cherry wine
topic: violence, domestic violence
note to the teacher: obviously, it's a sensitive issue, so you have to consider very carefully whether to treat this issue with your group or not - based on their maturity... etc. (just a personal piece of advice: don't be afraid of taboo topics, students might be more interested than you think, and as an educator, it's kind of your task to deal with these issues as well)
1. warmer
a. Don't reveal too much of the aims of your bringing in this song. Show students the title and ask them to speculate on the content of the song.
The title of the song is “Cherry wine”. What images does it bring to your mind? What kind of song do you expect to hear?
b. Show students the following screencaps from the videoclip and the first instrumental part of the song (00:00- 00:25) and ask them to speculate further. (first, you might want to mislead them a bit - they might come up with ideas like a date, an anniversary or a break-up eventually...) Ask for feedback.
c. Show them the last picture and ask them about the content again. Ask them what might have happened to the girl.
2. first listening
Watch the video clip and ask students to identify the characters and the nature of their relationship.
Who is the abuser and who is the victim?
3. second listening
Give the lyrics to the students. Listen to the song again. Ask them to identify the phrases that refer to violence.
"Cherry Wine" Her eyes and words are so icy Oh but she burns Like rum on a fire Hot and fast and angry As she can be I walk my days on a wire It looks ugly, but it's clean Oh mamma, don't fuss over me [Chorus:] The way she tells me I'm hers and she is mine Open hand or closed fist would be fine The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine Calls of guilty thrown at me All while she stains The sheets of some other Thrown at me so powerfully Just like she throws with the arm of her brother But I want it, it's a crime That she's not around most of the time [Chorus:] Way she shows me I'm hers and she is mine Open hand or closed fist would be fine The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine Her fight and fury is fiery Oh but she loves Like sleep to the freezing Sweet and right and merciful I'm all but washed In the tide of her breathing And it's worth it, it's divine I have this some of the time [Chorus:] Way she shows me I'm hers and she is mine Open hand or closed fist would be fine The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine
4. Discussion
a. Are the roles in the song and the clip identical? How would you explain it?
b. In the clip, what might have motivated the man to abuse his girlfriend? Can his reasons be justified? Usually, what are the main reasons for domestic violence? Why do some people abuse their loved ones? c. What are the different forms of domestic violence?
c.1.Ask your students to brainstorm some forms, then show them the following definition from https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence )
We define domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.
c.2. Match the types of abuse with their definitions. (+ Teach the unknown words)
Sexual Abuse, Economic Abuse, Psychological Abuse, Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse
(1)________________: Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair pulling, etc are its types. This type of abuse also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use upon him or her.
(2)________________: Coercing or attempting to coerce any sexual contact or behavior without consent. It includes, but is certainly not limited to, marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forcing sex after physical violence has occurred, or treating one in a sexually demeaning manner.
(3)_________________: Undermining an individual’s sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem is abusive. This may include, but is not limited to constant criticism, diminishing one’s abilities, name-calling, or damaging one’s relationship with his or her children.
(4)__________________: Is defined as making or attempting to make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding one’s access to money, or forbidding one’s attendance at school or employment.
(5)_________________: Its elements include – but are not limited to – causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner’s family or friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school and/or work.
(adapted from: justice.gov)
d. How does the victim feel in such a situation?
d/1. Ask your students to collect some adjectives and justify them. d/2. Show them this advertisement and teach the new words.
Ask them whether they think this targeted advertisement is effective or not.
e) Show them these awareness raising ads as well and ask them which one they feel the most effective and why. (Ask SS to work in pairs or in groups, then report back what they have agreed on)
f) Are people raising awareness of domestic abuse in your country? How can it be done? Who should be responsible for it?
g) Here are some statistics. Ask your students to try to guess the correct numbers.
Reveal the numbers after that and ask them to reflect on them.
h) In some countries, domestic violence isn’t a crime. What do you think of it? How would you punish those who committed this act of violence?
i) What would you do if someone close to you were a victim of domestic abuse? Would you report it? What can you do if someone you know is in an abusive relationship? How can you help them? (Students can check out this website to collect some ideas: http://www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk/support-a-friend-or-family-member-experiencing-domestic-violence.aspx)
(Ask for feedback and try to reinforce the idea that there are certain ways in which they CAN help.)
PROJECT
What could we do to stop violence against women?
Tell your students to imagine that they are working for an NGO which aims to help women who are victims of domestic violence. They advocate for ending violence against women: They have to organise a campaign in which they are raising awareness of the different ways of eliminating violence against women. They have to brainstorm and collect some ideas from other sources to be able to present them in front of their community leaders.
Ask the students to collect ideas from different sources and present them in either a poster format or as a sway presentation. (http://sway.com )
Encourage them to think of what we could do at a societal, at an individual, at a business and at a systems level as well.
Some places where they can find ideas:
http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2013/10/voicesagainstviolence-handbook-en%20pdf.pdf?la=en&vs=1455
http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2013/12/un%20women%20evaw-thembrief_us-web-rev9%20pdf.pdf?la=en
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/22-ways-to-stop-violence-against-women.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-to-stop-domestic-violence-murder_us_56eeb745e4b09bf44a9d85f6
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/fiona-mccormack-preventing-violence-against-women-in-australia/6552078
